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You can schedule an Outlook email for a specific future date and time, but the steps depend on which Outlook app you use. New Outlook, Outlook on the web, Outlook.com, and Outlook for Mac hold scheduled messages in Drafts; classic Outlook for Windows uses the Outbox and a different command.
Choose the instructions for your Outlook version
| Outlook version | Scheduling control | Where to check the message |
|---|---|---|
| New Outlook for Windows | Send arrow > Schedule send | Drafts |
| Outlook on the web | Send arrow > Schedule send | Drafts |
| Outlook.com | Send > Message actions > Send later, or the schedule-send control shown in your interface | Drafts or Sent Items, depending on the device |
| Classic Outlook for Windows | Options / More options > Do not deliver before | Outbox |
| Outlook for Mac | Send arrow > Schedule send | Drafts |
| Outlook mobile | Do not assume the incoming-message âScheduleâ feature schedules a new email | Varies |
Microsoft distinguishes the newer Schedule send workflow from classic Outlookâs delay-delivery control in its feature comparison between new and classic Outlook. Labels and placement can vary with the account, interface, and rollout.
What scheduled sending doesâand does notâguarantee
Scheduling tells Outlook when to attempt to send a message. It does not guarantee that the recipient will see it in their inbox at that exact time. The recipientâs mail server, spam and security filters, service interruptions, and other delivery delays can affect arrival. Check the scheduled time in the sending accountâs interface, especially if you work across time zones; Outlookâs time display and interpretation can vary by client.
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Schedule an email in new Outlook for Windows
- Select New mail and compose the message. Add the recipients, subject, body, and any attachments.
- Select the arrow beside Send, then select Schedule send.
- Choose a suggested time or choose a custom date and time.
- Select Send. Check Drafts to confirm that the scheduled message is there.
New Outlook does not offer this scheduling feature for IMAP or POP accounts, according to Microsoftâs delay and schedule sending instructions.
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Schedule an email in Outlook on the web or Outlook.com
Outlook on the web
- Compose your message and check that the recipient is resolved as a valid address.
- Select the arrow beside Send, then select Schedule send.
- Choose a suggested time or a custom date and time, then select Send.
- Look in Drafts for the scheduled message.
Microsoftâs Outlook on the web instructions describe the message as remaining in Drafts until its scheduled delivery time.
Outlook.com
- Compose the email.
- Select Send, open Message actions, and select Send later. If your interface shows a schedule-send control instead, use that.
- Choose the date and time, then select Send.
In Outlook.com, a scheduled message may appear in Drafts or Sent Items depending on the device. Microsoft says you can edit or delete it before delivery; after editing, schedule it again. See Microsoftâs Outlook.com message instructions.
Schedule an email in classic Outlook for Windows
- Compose the message in its own window.
- On the Ribbon, open the expanded options from the Tags group. On the Options tab, use More commands if the simplified Ribbon hides the control.
- Under Delivery options, select Do not deliver before, then choose the date and time.
- Select Close, finish the message, and select Send.
- Check Outbox; the message stays there until the specified delivery time.
Unlike a cloud-scheduled Drafts item, classic Outlookâs delayed message is held in the Outbox. As a practical precaution, keep Outlook running and connected for a time-sensitive message; Microsoft documents the Outbox workflow but does not promise the same closed-app behavior as it does for Mac.
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Schedule an email in Outlook for Mac
- Compose the message and add at least one recipient.
- Select the arrow on Send, then select Schedule send.
- Enter the date and time, then select OK.
- Check Drafts for the scheduled message.
Microsoft says scheduled Mac messages send even when Outlook is not open. The feature is documented for Microsoft 365 for Mac, Outlook 2024 for Mac, and Outlook 2021 for Mac with a supported cloud-based Exchange account; it does not work with IMAP or POP accounts such as Gmail, Yahoo, or iCloud. An older Mac interface may call it Send Later. See Microsoftâs Mac Schedule Send instructions and whatâs new in Outlook 2024 for Mac.
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Edit, cancel, or send a scheduled message now
New Outlook and Outlook on the web
Open Drafts and open the scheduled message. Use the edit pencil or equivalent control to change it or its scheduled time. Choose Send Now if you want it sent immediately. To cancel, delete the scheduled draft or use the cancellation control available in your interface. The web workflow is described in Microsoftâs Schedule send instructions.
Outlook.com
Find the message in Drafts or Sent Items, depending on your device, then edit or delete it before the scheduled time. If you edit it, schedule it again using Send later.
Classic Outlook for Windows
Open the message in Outbox to change or remove its delivery delay. If it remains there after the scheduled time, check Outlookâs connection and send/receive status before assuming it was delivered.
Outlook for Mac
Open the scheduled message in Drafts and select Cancel Send, then confirm. Microsoftâs Mac workflow lets you leave the message open to send it immediately or schedule it again.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why âSchedule sendâ may be missing
- You are using classic Outlook for Windows. Use Do not deliver before instead of looking for the newer Schedule send control.
- Your account is IMAP or POP. Microsoft excludes these account types from scheduling in new Outlook and Outlook for Mac.
- You are using an older Mac interface. Look for Send Later.
- The message is not ready to send. Add and resolve a valid recipient, then check the arrow beside Send.
- You are using Outlook mobile. Microsoftâs support page describes âScheduleâ as deferring an incoming message so it reappears later, not as the same compose-and-schedule workflow. See What does it mean to âScheduleâ an email?
- Your interface or organization differs. Account type, Outlook version, tenant settings, and feature rollout can change the available controls. If the account is cloud-hosted, try Outlook on the web.
Schedule send, delay rules, Undo Send, and recall are different
| Feature | What it does | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule send | Sets a future date and time for one message | Sending a particular email later |
| Classic Outlook delay rule | Holds outgoing messages, or a chosen class of them, for a fixed number of minutes; Microsoft documents a maximum of 120 minutes | A short review buffer across messages |
| Undo Send | Provides a brief cancellation window after selecting Send; Microsoft documents 5, 10, 15, or up to 120 seconds in the new Mac experience | Catching a mistake just after sending |
| Recall | May retrieve an unread message only under specific Microsoft 365 work or school conditions in the same organization | A narrow recovery case, not routine scheduling |
Microsoft documents the classic delay rule in its delay and schedule sending guidance, and the Mac cancellation window in Undo Send in Outlook for Mac. Recall is limited; see Microsoftâs recall requirements and limitations.
Quick Recap
Find a scheduled message or troubleshoot a missed send
Check the right folder first
- Check Drafts in new Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Mac.
- Check Outbox in classic Outlook for Windows.
- In Outlook.com, also check Sent Items, since scheduled messages can appear there on some devices.
- Confirm that you are looking in the correct account and mailbox, especially if Outlook has multiple accounts.
If the message did not send
- Check its folder and confirm the scheduled date, time, and time zone shown by that Outlook interface.
- Confirm that the account is connected. For classic Outlook, try Send/Receive All Folders or press F9; Microsoft documents the manual sync and send/receive behavior here.
- Check for an unresolved recipient, an attachment still uploading, an authentication problem, or an organization policy that blocks or alters delivery.
- If the message is still available and your client offers it, open it and choose Send Now.
Check these details before scheduling
- Confirm the sender mailbox and recipient addresses.
- Verify the date, time, and displayed time zone in the scheduling control.
- Wait for attachments to finish uploading.
- Confirm the message appears in the expected folder: Drafts for the newer cloud workflows, Outbox for classic Windows Outlook.
- For newsletters, recurring sequences, analytics, or subscriber management, use an email marketing platform rather than relying on Outlookâs individual-message scheduler.
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