Delay or schedule sending email messages in Outlook

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You can delay the delivery of an individual message by having it held in the Outbox for a specified time after you click Send.

Select a tab option below for the version of Outlook you're using. What version of Outlook do I have?

Note: If the steps under this New Outlook tab don't work, you may not be using new Outlook for Windows yet. Select the Classic Outlook tab and follow those steps instead.

Schedule a message for later

Note: This feature is not available for IMAP or POP accounts.

1. While composing a message, select the dropdown next to Send and select Schedule send.

Select one of the default options, then select Send or choose a custom time and then select Send.

Send the message immediately

If you decide later that you want to send the message immediately, do the following:

1. Switch to the Draft folder.
2. Open the scheduled message and select the Edit pencil icon.

Schedule a message for later

1. While composing a message, select the More options arrow from the Tags group in the Ribbon.

If you don't see these options, you probably have the simplified ribbon: On the ribbon, select the Options tab, then select More commands >Delay Delivery. Under Delivery options, select the Do not deliver before check box, and then choose the delivery date and time you want.

After you click Send, the message remains in the Outbox folder until the delivery time.

Send the message immediately

If you decide later that you want to send the message immediately, do the following:

1. Switch to the Outbox folder.
2. Open the delayed message.
3. Select the More options arrow from the Tags group in the Ribbon.

Note: Outlook must be online and connected for this feature to work.

Delay the delivery of all messages

You can delay the delivery of all messages by up to two hours by creating a rule.

1. In Mail, on the ribbon, select the File tab.
2. Click

Manage Rules & Alerts. Click

After you click Send, each message remains in the Outbox folder for the time that you specified.

Schedule a message for later

1. While composing a message, select the dropdown next to Send and select Schedule send.

Select one of the default options, then select Send or choose a custom time and then select Send.

Send the message immediately

If you decide later that you want to send the message immediately, do the following:

1. Switch to the Draft folder.
2. Open the scheduled message and select the Edit pencil icon.