How to Schedule an Outlook Email to Send Later

Yes. In Outlook, compose your email, 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 version and account you use.

What scheduling an Outlook email does

Scheduling holds a message until a date and time you choose, then tells Outlook to send it. It is useful for sending a reminder during business hours, preparing a message before a deadline, or working across time zones without asking someone to read an email overnight. You can write and schedule the message in advance; you do not need to be at your computer at the chosen time when using Outlook on the web or the newer Outlook scheduling feature.

Scheduling is different from saving a draft. A draft is not set to go out automatically; a scheduled message has a delivery time attached. It is also different from delaying every message with a rule. Most people who want to postpone one email should schedule that message directly. The classic Windows desktop app offers a separate delayed-delivery option, described below.

Schedule a message in new Outlook for Windows

In new Outlook for Microsoft 365 on Windows, create the email as usual, including its recipients, subject, and attachments. Then:

Select the small arrow beside Send.
Select Schedule send.
Choose one of the suggested times or select a custom time, if offered.
Confirm the date and time, then confirm the scheduling action.

Outlook will show a confirmation that the message is scheduled. The email is not delivered immediately just because you clicked the scheduling option. Check the scheduled message or Drafts area in your version of Outlook if you want to verify that it is waiting. Folder names and where scheduled messages appear can vary as Outlook’s interface changes.

Before confirming, review the recipient address and the time zone shown by Outlook. A scheduled message can still contain a typo or the wrong attachment; scheduling does not add a final review step automatically. If you have multiple accounts open, check that the From address is the account you intend to use.

Schedule an email in classic Outlook for Windows

Classic Outlook has a Delay Delivery setting for an individual message. Compose the email, then open the Options tab on the message window. In the More Options group, select Delay Delivery. In the properties dialog, under Delivery options, select Do not deliver before and enter the date and time. Close the dialog and select Send.

The message is placed in the Outbox rather than being sent right away. In classic Outlook, delayed delivery may depend on Outlook remaining open and connected when the scheduled time arrives, particularly with POP and IMAP accounts. If Outlook is closed, offline, or unable to connect, delivery can be delayed until it is running and connected again. Behavior can depend on the account and mail server, so do not assume this desktop option will send while the computer is off.

To check a delayed message, open the Outbox and inspect it before the delivery time. If the message is already being processed at the scheduled time, you may not be able to change it in time. For an important or time-sensitive email, verify the account’s behavior with a noncritical test message well ahead of the real deadline.

Outlook on the web, Mac, and mobile

In Outlook on the web, open a new message, write it, and select the arrow beside Send. Choose Schedule send, pick a suggested time or a custom date and time, and confirm. The web version is handy when you do not want to keep a desktop mail program open; the scheduling request is handled through the mailbox service rather than relying on a particular computer to stay awake.

In Outlook for Mac, the scheduling control is also generally found in the menu beside Send. Compose the message, open that menu, choose Schedule Send or the similarly named scheduling option shown in your version, and select the delivery time. Microsoft updates Outlook interfaces over time, and availability can depend on the app version and account type. If the option is missing, update Outlook and check whether you are using new Outlook or a different account configuration.

Outlook for iOS and Android may also offer scheduled sending from the compose screen, commonly through the menu near the Send control or the message’s more-options menu. The precise placement can differ by app version. If you do not see the feature, update the app or use Outlook on the web. Regardless of device, check that the selected time is the intended local time before confirming.

Change or cancel a scheduled email

Most scheduled messages can be changed or cancelled before their delivery time, but the method depends on the Outlook version. Find the message in the folder or scheduled-message view where Outlook stored it. Open it and look for an option to edit, cancel, or send now. To change the wording or recipients, edit the message and schedule it again if Outlook presents the message as a draft. If you cancel scheduling, confirm that the message is now a draft and will not still be sent automatically.

In classic Outlook, a delayed message is typically in the Outbox. Open it before the delivery time to revise it, or remove it from the Outbox to prevent it from being sent. If it is already gone from the Outbox or appears in Sent Items, it may have been sent; deleting a copy afterward cannot recall it from the recipient’s inbox. Outlook’s recall feature is separate and has conditions that are not guaranteed to work for every recipient or mail service.

To send sooner: open the scheduled message and choose the available send-now option, or remove the delay and send it manually.
To stop delivery: cancel the schedule or delete the delayed message before its send time, then check that it is no longer queued.
To change the time: edit the scheduled message and select a new time, or cancel and schedule it again.

Time zones, connectivity, and delivery expectations

Outlook schedules a send for a specific date and time, but a recipient’s location may be in another time zone. For example, a message scheduled for 9:00 a.m. in your local time will not necessarily arrive at 9:00 a.m. for someone in another region. If the recipient needs to act at a particular local hour, convert the time before scheduling and consider daylight-saving changes when the date is weeks or months away.

A scheduled time is not a guarantee that a recipient will see the message at that exact minute. Outlook or the mail service must process the message, and the recipient’s provider may take time to deliver it. The recipient may also have notifications disabled or a full mailbox. Treat the selected time as the time Outlook is instructed to send, not a promise of instant reading or delivery.

For web and cloud-backed scheduling, your computer generally does not need to remain on after the message is scheduled. Classic Outlook’s Delay Delivery is different: because the message can sit in the local Outbox, keeping Outlook open and online is the safest assumption unless you have confirmed that your account handles the delay on the server. This distinction matters if you plan to shut down a laptop or travel before the scheduled time.

Common scheduling problems

If you cannot find Schedule send, first identify the app you are using. New Outlook, Outlook on the web, classic Outlook, Mac, and mobile do not always show the same controls. In classic Windows Outlook, look for Options > Delay Delivery rather than expecting the newer menu item. If the feature still does not appear, update the app and check whether your account supports the feature.

If a classic Outlook message sends late, check whether Outlook was open, connected, and not in Work Offline mode at the scheduled time. Also inspect the Outbox for a message that is still waiting. If a cloud-scheduled message seems missing, look in Drafts or the scheduled-message location available in that client, and verify that Outlook displayed a successful scheduling confirmation.

If the email went immediately, you may have clicked the main Send button rather than its arrow, or confirmed a schedule incorrectly. Check Sent Items to see whether Outlook sent it. If the email is already sent, scheduling cannot undo delivery. For a future message, pause to confirm the date and time in the final dialog before accepting it.

Attachments and links need the same care as in an ordinary email. Make sure an attachment has finished uploading before scheduling, especially when using a browser or mobile connection. If a file is stored in a cloud service, confirm that the recipient will have permission to open it; scheduling does not change the file’s sharing settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I schedule an Outlook email if my computer is off?
With Outlook on the web or the newer cloud-based Schedule send feature, the computer generally does not need to stay on. With classic Outlook’s Delay Delivery, keep Outlook running and connected unless you have confirmed your account sends the delayed message from the server.

Where do I find a scheduled email in Outlook?
Look in Drafts or the scheduled-message area available in your Outlook version. A classic Outlook delayed message is generally in the Outbox. Folder placement can vary by app and account.

Can I schedule a recurring email?
Schedule send is intended for an individual message, not a repeating series. For recurring messages, consider a calendar reminder to prepare and send each email, or use an approved workflow tool if your organization supports one.

Can I schedule an email from Outlook on my phone?
Outlook for iOS and Android may provide a schedule option in the compose controls or more-options menu. If it is unavailable in your app version, use Outlook on the web or a supported desktop version.

Will a scheduled email arrive exactly at the selected time?
The selected time tells Outlook when to attempt sending. Mail processing and the recipient’s provider can add delay, so allow a margin for deadlines and do not treat scheduling as a guarantee of exact receipt.

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

More in How-to basics

Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

Spotted an error in this guide? Let us know.