How to Schedule an Email in Outlook

We're all looking for small ways to work more efficiently, and scheduling emails in Outlook is one of those simple features that can make a noticeable difference.

It allows you to write messages when it suits you, then choose when they actually reach the recipient. That can be especially useful when working across different time zones, managing flexible working hours, or trying to send an email when it's more likely to be seen and answered.

The steps differ slightly depending on which version of Outlook you're using, so this guide covers New Outlook, Classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, Mac, and mobile.

Before You Start

Scheduled sending only works with Microsoft 365, Exchange, and Outlook.com accounts. If your account is connected via IMAP or POP, common with some personal Gmail or Yahoo setups added to Outlook, this feature won't be available. You'll need to schedule directly from that provider's own web interface instead.

It's also worth knowing that behaviour differs between versions. On the web and on New Outlook, scheduled emails are sent from Microsoft's servers, so they'll go out even if your computer is switched off. On Classic Outlook, scheduling relies on your computer being on and Outlook running at the scheduled time, if it isn't the email will simply wait in the Outbox until it is.

How to Schedule an Email in New Outlook or on the Web

New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web share the same interface, so the steps are identical:

1. Compose your email as usual, adding your recipients, subject line, and message body.
2. Instead of clicking Send, click the small dropdown arrow next to the Send button.
3. Select Schedule send.
4. Choose one of the suggested times (typically Tomorrow morning or Tomorrow afternoon), or select Custom time to pick an exact date and time.
5. Click Send.

Your email will move into the Drafts folder with a scheduled tag and will be delivered automatically at the time you set. If you want to send it sooner, open it from Drafts, select the edit (pencil) icon, and choose Send Now.

How to Schedule an Email in Classic Outlook

Classic Outlook doesn't have a Schedule Send dropdown. Instead, it uses a feature called Delay Delivery, found under the Options tab:

1. Compose your email as usual.
2. Go to the Options tab on the ribbon (if you're using the simplified ribbon, click the three-dot More commands menu, then Options).
3. Select Delay Delivery.
4. In the Properties box that opens, under Delivery options, tick the "do not deliver before" checkbox and choose your desired date and time.
5. Click Close, then click Send as normal.

The email will sit in your Outbox until the scheduled time. If you want to change or cancel the scheduled send, go back to the Outbox, open the message, return to Delay Delivery, and either adjust the time or untick the checkbox to send it immediately.

How to Schedule an Email on Mac and Mobile

Outlook for Mac uses the same Schedule Send dropdown as New Outlook and the web version. Compose your email, click the arrow next to Send, choose Schedule Send, set your date and time, and confirm. The email is stored in Drafts until it's delivered.

On the Outlook mobile app (iOS and Android), the process is much the same. Compose your message, then look for the Schedule Send icon, a small paper plane with a clock next to the main Send button. Tap it, choose a suggested time or select choose a time for a custom date and time, then tap Send. As with the web version, mobile scheduling happens on Microsoft's servers, so the email will still go out even if your phone is switched off at the scheduled time.

Delaying All Outgoing Email

If you'd rather delay every email you send by a set number of minutes, useful for catching typos or last-minute mistakes before they go out, you can set this up as a rule in Classic Outlook:

1. Go to File, then Manage Rules & Alerts.
2. Select New Rule.
3. Under Start from a blank rule, choose Apply rule on messages I send, then click Next.
4. Skip the conditions (or select any that apply) and click Next again.
5. From the list of actions, choose defer delivery by a number of minutes and specify a delay of up to two hours.
6. Name your rule, make sure Turn on this rule is ticked, and click Finish.

From that point on, every email you send will sit briefly before going out, giving you a short window to catch and fix any last-minute mistakes.

A Few Things to Watch Out For

• Using the wrong method for your version. Looking for Schedule Send in Classic Outlook, or Delay Delivery in New Outlook, won't turn up anything, confirm which version you're using first.
• Closing Classic Outlook too early. Because Classic Outlook processes scheduled sends locally rather than on Microsoft's servers, closing the app or shutting down your computer before the scheduled time means the email won't send until you're back online.
• IMAP or POP accounts. As mentioned above, these account types don't support scheduled sending in Outlook at all.
• Time zone mismatches. If you regularly email people in different time zones, double-check the scheduled time is set correctly before confirming.

Once you're familiar with where the feature sits in your version of Outlook, scheduling an email takes seconds and it's a small habit that can make a real difference to how and when your messages are read.