How To Schedule Emails in Outlook: Want to Work While You Sleep?

Sometimes, you might want to send a message later instead of right when you type it out, whether it's for convenience or necessity.

Outlook gives you a great feature where you can schedule an email to be sent at a later time. (Just remember, the actual delivery time can vary depending on the recipient's time zone or connectivity.)

And the best part? It's a breeze to use, no matter if you're on a PC, Mac, or using the online version of Outlook.

Scheduling via Outlook.com (jump to the bottom of this article) is going to be your best and most convenient method of scheduling an "unattended" email to be sent. Doing so schedules at the server level and doesn't require your computer to be logged in to sent the email.

On a PC, using the desktop version of Outlook

1. From the message window, click the expand arrow below the Tags buttons to reveal the Properties box for the message
2. then simply enter your chosen send time in the Delivery options section.
   • (You may want to click the box labelled 'Save copy of sent message'.)

Alternatively, clicking the 'Options' tab above the message, and then the 'Delay Delivery' button in the ribbon opens the same Properties box.

The scheduled email will sit in a folder called Outbox until it is time for it to be sent. While there it remains possible to open and edit the message, then confirm the delayed delivery by clicking Send again (or re-schedule it). (The Outbox folder will/may not be visible unless there is a scheduled message in it waiting to go.)

 

On a Mac, using the desktop version of Outlook

After you compose your email, simply click the down-arrow beside the Send button, and specify your chosen date and time.

The scheduled email will sit in the Drafts folder until it is time for it to be sent. The scheduled send time will be shown with the message. This can't be amended as such, but can be cancelled, and then reset. To edit the content of the message the scheduled send time must first be cancelled. 

Highest Recommended Option: Online, using the browser version of Outlook

Using this option on Outlook.Office.com doesn't require your computer or laptop to be logged into to send an email. 

After you compose your email, simply click the down-arrow beside the Send button at the foot of the message, and specify your chosen date and time.

The scheduled email will sit in the Drafts folder until it is time to send it. The scheduled send time will be shown with the message. This can't be amended as such, but can be cancelled, and then reset.