How to Schedule an Email in Outlook on Any Device

To schedule an email in Outlook, write your message, open the menu beside Send, choose Schedule send, and select a delivery time. In classic Outlook for Windows, use Options > Delay Delivery instead. The exact steps depend on which Outlook app and account you use, so follow the matching instructions below.

Scheduling holds a message and sends it at a later date and time, which is useful for working across time zones, sending a reminder at the right moment, or keeping an email out of someone’s inbox overnight. Before scheduling, check the recipient address, the time zone, and whether your Outlook app needs to stay open for the send to happen.

What You’ll Need

An Outlook account and access to Outlook for Windows, Mac, or the web. The menu wording and availability can vary by app version and account type.
The recipient’s correct email address and a message that is ready to send, including any attachments.
A clear delivery date and time. Check the time zone shown by your device or Outlook, especially if the recipient is somewhere else.
For classic Outlook with a POP or IMAP account, a computer with Outlook running and connected to the internet at the scheduled time. Exchange and Microsoft 365 work or school accounts may handle delayed delivery on the server, depending on the account and configuration.

Step-by-Step

Identify your Outlook version. On Windows, “new Outlook” has a simplified interface and usually a toggle labelled New Outlook; classic Outlook has the traditional ribbon with tabs such as File, Home, and Send / Receive. Outlook on the web runs in a browser, while Outlook for Mac has its own Mac menus and controls. Use the relevant method below rather than looking for one button in every version.
Start a message and complete the basics. Select New mail or New Email, enter one or more recipients in the To field, add a subject, and write the message. Add attachments before scheduling. If the message is going to several people, review the To, Cc, and Bcc fields carefully; a scheduled message is still sent to exactly the addresses shown there.
Schedule in new Outlook for Windows. Select the small arrow or dropdown beside Send, then choose Schedule send. Pick one of the suggested times if one suits, or choose the option to select a custom time. Set the date and time, confirm the selection, and then select Send or confirm the schedule if prompted. Outlook should confirm that the message is scheduled. If you do not see the option, check that the message is open in a supported account and that Outlook is up to date; you can also try Outlook on the web.
Schedule in Outlook on the web. Sign in to Outlook in your browser, open a new message, and fill in the recipient, subject, and body. Select the dropdown arrow next to Send, choose Schedule send, and select a suggested time or set a custom date and time. Confirm the schedule. Leave the compose window only after Outlook indicates that the message has been scheduled. The label or available time choices can differ slightly between Outlook.com and a work or school Microsoft 365 account.
Schedule in Outlook for Mac. Compose the email and check its recipients, subject, text, and attachments. Select the dropdown beside Send, choose Schedule Send, and select a suggested time or specify a custom one. Confirm the scheduled send. If your Mac version does not show this command, install available Outlook updates or use Outlook on the web; not every build or account exposes the same scheduling controls.
Schedule in classic Outlook for Windows. Open a new email and complete it, then select the Options tab in the message window. Select Delay Delivery. In the Properties dialog, under Delivery options, check Do not deliver before, then choose the delivery date and time. Select Close to return to the message and select Send. The message is placed in the Outbox and is held until the time you selected. Do not assume that it has been sent just because you clicked Send; check the Outbox and your account’s connection requirements.
Confirm that the message is waiting. In new Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Outlook for Mac, look in Drafts or a Scheduled area, depending on the version and account. In classic Outlook, look in Outbox. Open the item if needed and confirm the intended recipient and delivery time. If it is missing, search the relevant folder before composing and scheduling another copy, to avoid sending duplicates.
Make changes or cancel if plans change. For new Outlook, web, or Mac, open the scheduled item from Drafts or the Scheduled area and use the available cancel or edit controls. Cancelling commonly returns it to a draft; edit it, then schedule it again or send it immediately. In classic Outlook, open the item in Outbox, change the delivery time through Options > Delay Delivery, or remove the delivery restriction to send it sooner. If the message has already left Outbox, it may be too late to stop it.

Common Mistakes

Using the wrong scheduling method for your Outlook version. The dropdown beside Send is the usual route in new Outlook, Outlook on the web, and supported Mac builds. Classic Outlook for Windows uses Delay Delivery on the message’s Options tab. Looking only for one feature name can make it seem as if scheduling is unavailable.

Choosing a time without checking the time zone. Outlook generally uses the date and time settings associated with your account or device. A 9:00 a.m. setting may not mean 9:00 a.m. for the recipient. If timing matters, calculate the recipient’s local time and check that the correct date is selected; crossing midnight can change the day as well.

Closing classic Outlook when the account needs the app. With POP or IMAP in classic Outlook, a delayed message may remain in Outbox if Outlook is closed, the computer is asleep, or the connection is unavailable at the scheduled time. Keep the app open and the computer awake, or use a supported server-side scheduling option through Outlook on the web.

Forgetting the message is still editable. A scheduled email can often be changed or cancelled before it sends. Do not assume it is already gone. Conversely, do not assume that changing the time in a draft has taken effect until you confirm or reschedule it.

Scheduling a duplicate. If Outlook appears slow after you confirm, check Drafts, Scheduled, or Outbox before trying again. A second click or a second newly composed message can result in two copies being delivered.

Leaving out an attachment or sending to the wrong list. Scheduling does not add a final review step automatically. Check every recipient and attachment before confirming, particularly when the message contains confidential information or is addressed to a distribution list.

Tips

Schedule a little earlier than the deadline if the email is important. That gives you time to notice a connection, account, or attachment problem before the recipient needs the message.
Use a specific subject line that makes the message easy to identify in Drafts, Scheduled, or Outbox. This is especially helpful when you have several messages waiting.
For a message to someone in another region, write down the recipient’s local delivery time before selecting a date. Consider daylight-saving changes if the delivery date is weeks or months away.
Keep scheduled content concise and complete. If you expect to update figures or details before the send time, schedule a reminder for yourself rather than treating the message as final.
For classic Outlook, do not rely on a sleeping laptop to send a POP or IMAP message. Keep Outlook open, make sure the device will not sleep, and maintain an internet connection. Server-side handling for Exchange accounts depends on the service and organization settings.
When you schedule a message in a shared mailbox or on behalf of someone else, verify which account is selected as the sender. The sending permissions and scheduling behaviour can depend on how the mailbox is configured.

Troubleshooting

The Schedule send command is missing. Confirm that you are composing a new message rather than viewing a received email. In classic Outlook for Windows, use Options > Delay Delivery; in the newer interface, check the dropdown beside Send. If the command is still absent, update Outlook, check whether the account is supported, and try Outlook on the web. A workplace administrator may also limit features or account access.

The email did not go at the selected time. First locate it: check Outbox in classic Outlook and Drafts or Scheduled in the other versions. For classic POP or IMAP accounts, open Outlook and reconnect to the internet; the message may send when the app is running and online. Check that the computer’s date and time are correct and that Outlook is connected. If it remains queued, open the message, correct any account or connection issue, and reschedule it.

The scheduled date or time looks wrong. Open the message and inspect its scheduled time rather than relying on a remembered selection. Check your device’s time zone and daylight-saving settings. Change the time, confirm the change, and verify the item remains scheduled. If the date has already passed, the app may send the email as soon as it can, so review it promptly.

You cannot edit or cancel the email. Find the item in the folder used by your version and open it. Some Outlook interfaces require you to cancel the scheduled send first, then edit the returned draft and schedule it again. In classic Outlook, the message must still be in Outbox to change its delivery settings. If it has already moved to Sent Items, the send has occurred; ordinary scheduling controls cannot recall it.

The email sent twice or seems to have vanished. Check Sent Items and the relevant scheduled folder before taking action. Search by subject and recipient. If you cannot find it, check that you are viewing the correct account or mailbox. Avoid immediately resending a message that may already be in transit, especially if it is time-sensitive or contains an attachment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I schedule an email in Outlook for free?
Outlook.com includes scheduled sending, and Outlook apps may offer it for supported accounts. Availability can depend on the app version and account type, so check the Send dropdown or use Outlook on the web if the option is missing.

Does Outlook have to be open for a scheduled email to send?
It depends on the method and account. Classic Outlook with POP or IMAP generally needs to be open and connected at the scheduled time. New Outlook, Outlook on the web, and supported Exchange or Microsoft 365 accounts can process scheduling through the service, but account configuration matters.

Where do scheduled emails go in Outlook?
Classic Outlook for Windows places a delayed message in Outbox. In new Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Mac, look in Drafts or a Scheduled area; the folder name varies by version and account.

Can I schedule an email from my phone?
Some Outlook mobile versions and accounts provide a schedule-send option in the menu beside or near Send. Compose the message, open that menu, and choose the scheduling control if it appears. If it is not available in your app, schedule the message using Outlook on the web or a desktop version.

Can I cancel a scheduled email after setting it up?
Usually, yes, as long as it has not been sent. Open it in Drafts or Scheduled and cancel the send, or edit its delivery setting in Outbox in classic Outlook. After it is sent, cancellation through the scheduling feature is no longer possible.

Will the recipient know that I scheduled the email?
Outlook sends the message at the chosen time as a regular email. The recipient generally does not receive a special notification that it was scheduled.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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