Find the scheduling control in your Outlook version
Outlook can hold an email until a chosen time, but the feature name and delivery behavior depend on the version you use. New Outlook and Outlook on the web use Schedule send. Classic Outlook for Windows uses Delay Delivery. Supported Mac accounts also offer scheduled sending. Start by identifying your version before following instructions from a different interface.
Scheduling chooses when Outlook should release a message. It does not guarantee when another mail system will deliver it or when someone will read it. Check the recipient, attachments, and timing before leaving the email pending, especially when the message concerns an appointment or a deadline.
Use Schedule send in new Outlook or on the web
- Open a new message or reply to the conversation you want to continue.
- Enter the recipients, subject, and body. Attach any files before scheduling.
- Open the menu beside Send and select Schedule send.
- Choose a suggested delivery time or select a custom date and time.
- Review the time shown in the scheduling dialog and confirm the scheduled send.
Scheduled messages normally remain in Drafts until they send. Open the pending item to inspect its scheduled status. If you need to change it, use the available editing or cancel sending control, make your changes, and schedule it again. Confirm the final time after editing, because returning an email to an ordinary draft can remove its earlier schedule.
For supported accounts, scheduling is handled by the mail service, so the browser or new Outlook app does not need to remain open. Account support matters. If Schedule send is absent, check your Outlook version and account type instead of assuming that every connected mailbox supports the same options.
Use Delay Delivery in classic Outlook for Windows
- Compose your email in its own message window.
- Open Options, then select Delay Delivery.
- Under Delivery options, select Do not deliver before.
- Choose the required date and time, then close the properties window.
- Click Send to place the message in the Outbox for delayed delivery.
Selecting a date alone does not queue the message. You still need to click Send. To review it before release, open the Outbox and find the email. If you change its properties or content, click Send again so it returns to the delivery queue.
Classic Outlook delivery can depend on the account, connection, and whether Outlook is running. Keep the application open and connected when you need a dependable release from a local Outbox. Do not assume the behavior is identical to scheduling through Outlook on the web. See the Delay Delivery guide for the related rules approach and its limitations.
Review the message before its scheduled release
Use the time zone displayed by Outlook as your reference. A recipient in another region may see the message arrive at an inconvenient local hour even when your selected time looks reasonable. A single email addressed to several people still has a single scheduled release.
- Recheck To, Cc, and Bcc before scheduling a message with several recipients.
- Open attachments and confirm that shared file permissions allow the intended access.
- Replace vague wording such as today when the delivery date could change its meaning.
- Check the Drafts or Outbox folder after scheduling to confirm the pending item exists.
If you work on a Mac or phone, read the Outlook version guide before relying on a desktop workflow. A scheduling option available in one client may be missing from another. When you cannot verify support, use a supported Outlook interface for the same mailbox and confirm the message there.
What native Outlook scheduling lacks for teams
Outlook's native controls assign one send time to an email in one channel. They do not turn a shared campaign into separate sends based on every recipient's time zone. They also do not supply a unified set of recipient quiet hours rules or a required team approval workflow for scheduled email, SMS, and WhatsApp messages. Mailbox policies and separate organizational tools may add controls, but those are distinct from the scheduling button.
ScheduleSend is a subscription service for B2B teams that schedules email, SMS, and WhatsApp at each recipient's local time, with quiet hours rules and approvals. Open the ScheduleSend planner to plan team communication and review pricing for subscription options. Keep consent and local messaging requirements part of your sending process.