How to Schedule Emails and Delay Delivery in Microsoft Outlook

In modern remote and hybrid workplaces spanning multiple international timezones, sending late-night emails can disrupt colleagues’ work-life boundaries or cause important project updates to become buried beneath overnight inbox clutter. Similarly, sending an email prematurely—only to realise seconds later that an attachment was omitted or a typo went unnoticed—creates avoidable embarrassment. Microsoft Outlook provides versatile delivery controls that enable you to schedule emails for future dispatch or apply an automatic global delay rule to every outgoing message.

Scheduling Emails in Outlook on the Web and New Outlook for Windows

Modern Outlook clients (including Outlook Web and the New Outlook for Windows app) support native cloud-based message scheduling. Because scheduled emails are held in the Microsoft 365 cloud exchange rather than your local PC, the message will dispatch at the appointed hour even if your computer is completely powered down.

1. Compose your email as normal, entering the recipient, subject line, and body text.
2. Locate the blue Send button in the bottom or top compose toolbar.
3. Click the dropdown arrow directly adjacent to the Send button.
4. Select Schedule send.
5. Choose a preset suggestion (such as “Tomorrow morning at 08:00”) or click Custom time.
6. Select your desired future calendar date and time.
7. Click Send. The email moves to your Drafts folder marked with a distinctive clock icon, awaiting its scheduled dispatch time.

Delaying Delivery in Classic Outlook Desktop (Do Not Deliver Before)

If your enterprise utilises Classic Outlook for Windows (MAPI desktop client), schedule specific messages using the delivery options panel:

1. In your compose message window, click the Options tab on the top ribbon.
2. In the More Options section, click Delay Delivery.
3. In the Properties dialogue box, locate the Delivery options section.
4. Check the box labelled Do not deliver before.
5. Select your required date and time from the dropdown lists.
6. Click Close, then click Send.
7. The email is placed into your local Outbox folder. (Important: In Classic Outlook with POP/IMAP accounts, Outlook must remain open and connected to the internet at the scheduled time to transmit the item; Exchange accounts will queue the item on the server).

Creating a Universal 1-Minute Send Delay Rule for All Emails

To establish a safety buffer that catches missing attachments, misplaced recipients, or impulsive replies before they leave your desktop, build a universal send-delay rule in Classic Outlook:

1. Click File > Manage Rules & Alerts.
2. Under the Email Rules tab, click New Rule.
3. In the Rules Wizard, select Apply rule on messages I send (under Start from a blank rule) and click Next.
4. Leave all condition boxes unchecked and click Next. Click Yes when prompted to apply this rule to every sent message.
5. In the Actions step, check defer delivery by a number of minutes.
6. In the bottom pane, click the underlined “a number of” link and specify 1 or 2 minutes.
7. Click Next, add any exceptions if necessary (such as “except if marked as high importance”), name your rule (e.g., “Safety Send Delay”), and click Finish.
8. Every email you dispatch will now rest in your Outbox for 60 seconds before transmitting, allowing you to reopen and modify it if needed.

Outlook Scheduling Methods Comparison

Platform / Method	Queued Location	Requires PC to Stay Awake?	Cloud Exchange Supported
Outlook Web (Schedule Send)	Cloud Exchange Drafts	No	Yes (Microsoft 365 / Outlook.com)
New Outlook (Schedule Send)	Cloud Exchange Drafts	No	Yes
Classic Outlook (Delay Delivery)	Outbox folder	Yes (for POP/IMAP)	Yes (for Exchange)
Universal Send Rule (Classic)	Outbox (1–2 min buffer)	Yes	Yes

Editing or Cancelling a Scheduled Message

If project details change before a scheduled email transmits:

• On Outlook Web / New Outlook: Open the Drafts folder, click the scheduled message, click the Pencil (Modify) icon next to the scheduled time banner, and choose either Cancel send or adjust the dispatch time.
• On Classic Outlook: Open the Outbox folder, double-click the message to reopen it, go to Options > Delay Delivery, and uncheck Do not deliver before or adjust the date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I schedule recurring emails in Microsoft Outlook?

Outlook does not natively support recurring automated emails through standard Delay Delivery. To send recurring weekly or monthly update emails, configure an automated cloud workflow using Microsoft Power Automate.

What happens if I turn off my computer after scheduling on Outlook Web?

Because Outlook Web and the New Outlook app process scheduling on Microsoft’s cloud servers, your message will transmit punctually regardless of whether your computer is shut down, asleep, or offline.

Can recipients see that an email was scheduled?

No. When the recipient receives the email, the visible delivery timestamp reflects the moment the message was actually dispatched, not when you initially composed it.