Sending an email at the right time can make a surprisingly big difference. Whether you are preparing an important client update, writing emails outside working hours, or simply want to make sure a message arrives first thing in the morning, Outlook allows you to schedule emails for a specific date and time.
The exact process depends on which version of Outlook you are using. Microsoft currently has new Outlook for Windows, classic Outlook for Windows, Outlook on the web and Outlook.com, and the scheduling options are slightly different between them.
This guide explains how to schedule an email in Outlook, how to change or cancel a scheduled message, what happens after you schedule it, and some useful tips for businesses using Microsoft 365.
What does scheduling an email in Outlook do?
Scheduling an email means writing the message now but telling Outlook to send it at a later date and time.
For example, you could write an email at 9:00pm on Tuesday but schedule it to arrive at 8:30am on Wednesday.
This can be useful when:
- You are working outside normal business hours
- You want an email to arrive at the beginning of the working day
- You are working with people in different time zones
- You want to prepare an email in advance
- You are planning client communications
- You want to avoid sending work emails late at night
- You are preparing reminders or follow-up messages
The important thing to understand is that scheduling an email is different from simply saving it as a draft. A draft will not automatically be sent. A scheduled message has a delivery time attached to it.
Microsoft supports scheduled sending in new Outlook and Outlook on the web. Classic Outlook for Windows uses a slightly different Do not deliver before option.
How to schedule an email in new Outlook
If you are using the current version of Outlook for Windows, scheduling an email is straightforward.
Step 1: Create a new email
Open Outlook and select New Mail or New Email.
Write your email as you normally would.
Add:
- The recipient
- Subject line
- Email content
- Any attachments you need
It is worth checking the recipient and attachment before scheduling the message, particularly if the email contains confidential business information.
Step 2: Open the Send menu
When your email is ready, look at the Send button.
Instead of clicking Send directly, select the dropdown arrow next to Send.
You should see an option called Schedule send.
Step 3: Select Schedule send
Select Schedule send.
Outlook will give you some suggested delivery times. You can select one of these options or choose a custom date and time.
For example, you might choose:
Tomorrow at 8:00am
or select a custom time if you want the email delivered at a specific point.
Step 4: Choose your date and time
If you select a custom time, choose the date and time when you want Outlook to send the email.
For example:
18 September 2026 at 08:30
Check the date and time carefully before confirming.
Step 5: Select Send
Once you have chosen your delivery time, select Send.
Your email is now scheduled.
Microsoft says that in new Outlook, the scheduled message remains in the Drafts folder until its scheduled delivery time.
That can initially seem confusing because you might expect the message to move to Sent Items immediately. It has not been sent yet. It is simply being held until the time you selected.
How to schedule an email in Outlook on the web
If you use Outlook through a web browser, the process is very similar.
Outlook on the web is commonly used by organisations with Microsoft 365 because employees can access their mailbox through a browser without installing the desktop application.
Step 1: Open Outlook in your browser
Open Outlook and sign into your Microsoft 365 account.
Select New Mail to create your message.
Step 2: Write your email
Enter the recipient, subject and message.
Add any attachments you need.
Step 3: Open the Send dropdown
When the email is ready, select the dropdown arrow next to Send.
Choose Schedule send.
Step 4: Select when the email should be sent
Outlook will show suggested times as well as an option to choose a custom time.
Select the date and time you want.
Step 5: Confirm the scheduled email
Select Send.
The message will remain in your Drafts folder until it is due to be sent. Microsoft confirms that you can later open a scheduled message and cancel the scheduled send if you change your mind.
How to schedule an email in classic Outlook
If you are using classic Outlook for Windows, the process is different.
Rather than seeing a Schedule send button next to Send, classic Outlook uses the Delay Delivery functionality.
Step 1: Write your email
Open classic Outlook and select New Email.
Write your message and add your recipient, subject and attachments.
Step 2: Open Message Options
With your email open, select the Message Options arrow in the Tags section of the ribbon.
Depending on your Outlook layout, you may need to select the Options tab and then choose More commands to access the relevant options.
Step 3: Find Delivery Options
Look for the Delivery options section.
Select:
Do not deliver before
You can then choose the date and time when you want the email to be delivered.
Step 4: Close the options window
Select Close.
Your email will return to the normal compose window.
Step 5: Select Send
Click Send.
The message will remain in your Outbox until the delivery time you specified. Microsoft notes that classic Outlook needs to be online and connected for this delayed-delivery method to work.
This is one of the main differences between classic Outlook and newer Outlook versions, so it is worth knowing which version you are using.
How to schedule an email on Outlook for Mac
The exact interface can vary depending on the version of Outlook for Mac you have installed.
If your version provides Schedule Send, create your email as normal and look for the scheduling option associated with the Send button.
The important thing is to check whether you are using the newer Outlook experience or an older version, as Microsoft’s Outlook interfaces have changed significantly over time.
If you cannot see Schedule send, check whether your Outlook application is up to date and whether you are using the newer Outlook interface.
How to change a scheduled email in Outlook
You might schedule an email for 8:00am and then realise that 9:00am would be more appropriate.
Fortunately, you do not necessarily have to rewrite the message.
In new Outlook and Outlook on the web, find the scheduled message in Drafts and open it.
You can cancel the scheduled send and then make the necessary changes before scheduling it again.
Microsoft’s current guidance states that, in new Outlook, you can open the scheduled message, select Cancel send, and then send it immediately or schedule it again.
This is particularly useful if you need to change:
- The delivery time
- The recipient
- The subject
- The message
- An attachment
Always check the complete email again before rescheduling it.
How to cancel a scheduled email in Outlook
Sometimes you schedule an email and then decide you do not want it sent at all.
In new Outlook, open the scheduled message from Drafts and select Cancel send.
You can then either:
- Edit and reschedule the email
- Send it immediately
- Delete the message
Microsoft documents the Cancel send option for scheduled messages in both new Outlook and Outlook on the web.
In classic Outlook, delayed messages are held in the Outbox. You can open the message and remove the Do not deliver before setting if you want to send it immediately.
Where does a scheduled email go?
This depends on which Outlook version you use.
New Outlook
Scheduled emails remain in Drafts until they are due to be sent.
Outlook on the web
Scheduled emails are also held until their scheduled delivery time.
Classic Outlook
A delayed email remains in the Outbox until the specified delivery time.
This difference is important because users sometimes assume that an email sitting in Drafts has not been scheduled.
If you are using new Outlook and have deliberately scheduled the email, seeing it in Drafts is normal.
Why schedule emails instead of sending them immediately?
Scheduling emails is more than a convenience feature. It can be useful for managing how and when business communications are delivered.
1. Avoid sending emails outside working hours
If you finish an important email at 10:30pm, you might not want it landing in someone’s inbox immediately.
Instead, you can schedule it for the following morning.
This can be particularly useful for managers, sales teams and employees working flexible hours.
2. Work around different time zones
If your business works with customers, suppliers or colleagues internationally, sending an email at 4:00pm in the UK could mean it arrives very early in another country.
Scheduling lets you choose a more appropriate delivery time.
3. Prepare communications in advance
You can write an email while the information is fresh in your mind and schedule it for when it needs to go out.
For example:
- Weekly customer updates
- Project reminders
- Internal announcements
- Follow-ups
- Meeting reminders
- Sales communications
4. Give yourself time to review
Scheduling an important email can also create a useful pause.
If you write an email when you are frustrated or under pressure, scheduling it for later gives you an opportunity to review it before it reaches the recipient.
What happens if I close Outlook after scheduling an email?
This is an important distinction between Outlook versions.
For new Outlook and Outlook on the web, Microsoft states that scheduled messages remain in Drafts until their delivery time.
Classic Outlook works differently. Microsoft specifically notes that Outlook needs to be online and connected for its delayed-delivery feature to work.
Therefore, if you are relying on scheduled emails for important business communications, it is worth understanding which Outlook application and account type you are using rather than assuming every version behaves in exactly the same way.
Why can’t I see Schedule send in Outlook?
If you cannot find the Schedule send option, there are several possible reasons.
You are using classic Outlook
Classic Outlook uses Do not deliver before rather than the newer Schedule send experience.
Your Outlook version is different
Microsoft has several Outlook experiences, and the menus can differ between new Outlook, classic Outlook, Outlook on the web and Outlook.com.
Your account type is not supported
Microsoft notes that the Schedule send feature in new Outlook is not available for IMAP or POP accounts.
This is particularly relevant if you have added a non-Microsoft email account to Outlook.
Your organisation has a different configuration
Business Microsoft 365 environments can have different configurations, policies and account types.
If the option is missing and you are using a work account, your IT administrator may need to investigate the configuration.
Scheduling emails in a business environment
For businesses using Microsoft 365, scheduling emails is only one small part of managing an effective email environment.
Outlook is connected to a much wider Microsoft 365 ecosystem, including Exchange Online, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive and Microsoft Entra ID.
That means problems with Outlook are not always actually Outlook problems.
For example, a user might experience:
- Authentication problems
- MFA issues
- Synchronisation problems
- Mailbox configuration issues
- Microsoft 365 licensing problems
- Security policies preventing certain actions
- Problems with shared mailboxes
- Mobile email configuration problems
This is where having appropriate Microsoft 365 support and wider IT support can become important for businesses.
A properly managed Microsoft 365 environment should consider not just whether users can send emails, but also how identities, devices, security, data and collaboration tools are managed.
Tips for scheduling important business emails
Before scheduling an important email, take a few seconds to check the basics.
Check the recipient
Make sure the email is going to the right person.
This is particularly important when Outlook automatically suggests contacts as you type.
Check attachments
If you mention an attachment in the email, make sure you have actually attached it.
Check the time zone
If you are sending to somebody overseas, confirm which time zone you are scheduling against.
Check the date
It is surprisingly easy to select the wrong day when scheduling an email.
Review sensitive information
Do not schedule an email containing confidential information simply because you have finished writing it.
Check that the intended recipients are correct and that the information should be shared with them.
Consider the recipient’s working hours
If you know someone works standard office hours, scheduling an email for the start of their working day can be more considerate than sending it late at night.
Can you schedule recurring emails in Outlook?
Scheduling a single email and automatically sending recurring emails are two different things.
Outlook’s standard Schedule send function is designed to schedule an individual message.
If your business needs communications to be sent automatically on a recurring basis, you may need a different approach, depending on the requirement.
For example, Microsoft 365 organisations may use automation tools such as Power Automate for certain recurring workflows.
This can be useful where a business needs more than simply saying, “Send this particular email tomorrow at 9am.”
The workflow might instead be:
Every Monday → check information → generate notification → send email to selected users.
That is an automation requirement rather than a straightforward scheduled email.
Outlook scheduled email FAQs
Can I schedule an email in Outlook?
Yes. New Outlook and Outlook on the web provide a Schedule send option. Classic Outlook for Windows uses Do not deliver before under its delivery options.
Can I schedule an email for tomorrow?
Yes. When you select Schedule send, Outlook provides suggested delivery times as well as options for selecting a custom date and time.
Can I cancel a scheduled email?
Yes. In new Outlook, you can open the scheduled message and select Cancel send. You can then edit, delete or send the message immediately.
Where are scheduled emails stored?
In new Outlook and Outlook on the web, scheduled emails remain in Drafts until their delivery time. In classic Outlook, delayed messages remain in the Outbox.
Why does my scheduled email still appear in Drafts?
If you are using new Outlook, this is normal. Microsoft says scheduled messages remain in Drafts until the delivery time.
Does scheduled send work with every email account?
Not necessarily. Microsoft states that Schedule send in new Outlook is not available for IMAP or POP accounts.
Final thoughts
Scheduling an email in Outlook is a simple feature, but it can be useful for everything from managing your own workload to coordinating communications across different time zones.
If you are using new Outlook, look for the arrow beside Send and select Schedule send. If you are using Outlook on the web, the process is very similar. If you are using classic Outlook for Windows, look for Do not deliver before under the message’s delivery options.
For businesses using Microsoft 365, however, email scheduling is just one part of a much bigger picture. Outlook depends on the wider Microsoft 365 environment, so keeping accounts, devices, security, identity and cloud services properly managed is important for reliable day-to-day communication.
Image note for publishing: I’d use the three image sections above as visual breaks: new Outlook Schedule send, Outlook on the web Schedule send, and classic Outlook’s Do not deliver before screen. The interfaces change over time, so for a NetMonkeys article I’d recommend taking fresh screenshots from a current Microsoft 365 test account rather than relying on third-party screenshots. Microsoft itself provides the current step-by-step instructions for these interfaces.
