How to Schedule Email in Outlook

If you have ever wanted an email to land in someone’s inbox later instead of the moment you press send, you are looking for a way to schedule email in Outlook. The idea is simple: you write the message now, set a future time, and Outlook holds it until then. How you do this, and what the option is called, can differ depending on whether you use classic Outlook for Windows, new Outlook, Outlook on the web, Outlook for Mac, or the Outlook mobile app, since Microsoft updates these apps on an ongoing basis.

This guide walks through the general process for scheduling an email in Outlook, what to check before you start, and a documented way to automate scheduled sending with Power Automate if you need something more predictable for recurring messages.

Quick steps

Open Outlook and start a new message as you normally would.
Write your email, add your recipients, and fill in the subject line.
Before you send it, look in the compose window for an option related to delaying or scheduling delivery. This is usually found near the send control or in a message options area, and the exact label and location can vary by version.
Set the date and time you want the message delivered.
Confirm the schedule. The message will wait and go out at the time you set, rather than immediately.

Before you start

Make sure your email account is already set up in Outlook. If you have not added one yet, see our guide on adding an email account to Outlook first.
Know which version of Outlook you are using: classic Outlook for Windows, new Outlook, Outlook on the web (Outlook.com or a work account), Outlook for Mac, or the mobile app. The steps and wording for scheduling a message are not identical across all of these.
Keep your app updated. Microsoft regularly ships updates to Outlook, including Outlook for Mac, that can change where certain options sit or how they are labeled, so if something looks different from what you expect, check whether an update is available.
If you use a work or school account, some mail settings may be managed by your organization’s Microsoft 365 admin, so if a feature seems unavailable, it is worth checking with your admin rather than assuming it does not exist.
Scheduling a single message is different from automatically replying while you are away. For that, see our guide on setting an Out of Office message in Outlook.

Outlook for Windows (classic and new)

On Windows, Outlook has gone through a transition from the classic desktop app to a newer version, and the two do not always present options in the same place. In general:

Start a new email and write your message. For the basics of composing and sending a message, see how to send email using Outlook.
Instead of sending right away, look for a delivery or scheduling option in the ribbon or near the send button. Classic Outlook and new Outlook do not use identical menus, so the exact path may differ depending on which one you have installed.
Set the future date and time you want the email sent.
Confirm the setting, then send the message as usual. It will be held until the scheduled time rather than going out immediately.

If you cannot find a scheduling option at all, confirm which version of Outlook you are running, since newer and older builds can place this functionality in different spots, and an app update may also change what you see.

Outlook on the web and Outlook.com

When you use Outlook through a browser, whether that is a personal Outlook.com account or a work or school account, the general approach is similar:

Sign in and start a new message.
Write your email, including recipients and subject.
Before sending, check near the send control for a scheduling option rather than sending the message right away.
Choose a time, then confirm.

Scheduled messages are typically kept somewhere you can review and change them before they go out, but the exact name of that location can vary, so look around the message list if you need to find a message you already scheduled.

Outlook for Mac

Outlook for Mac also supports scheduling a message for a later time, and like the Windows apps, the option sits in the compose window rather than after you have already sent the message. Because Microsoft publishes regular release notes for Office on Mac covering updates to Outlook, the location or wording of this feature can shift between versions. If you do not see a way to delay or schedule a message when composing, check that your Outlook for Mac app is fully updated before assuming the feature is missing.

Open Outlook for Mac and start a new message.
Write your email and add your recipients.
Look for a delivery or scheduling option before you send, rather than after.
Set the date and time you want the message delivered, then confirm.

Outlook mobile app (iOS and Android)

The Outlook mobile app also lets you hold a message instead of sending it immediately. Because mobile apps update frequently, the exact way you trigger this can change from version to version.

Open the app and tap the compose icon to start a new email.
Write your message and add recipients.
Instead of tapping send and expecting it to go immediately, check whether there is an alternate action, such as a long press or a nearby arrow, that offers a scheduling choice.
Pick a time and confirm.

If you cannot find this option, check for app updates in your device’s app store, since mobile scheduling features are among the things Microsoft adjusts across releases.

Automating scheduled sends with Power Automate

If you need a message to go out on a recurring schedule, such as a daily or weekly email, rather than a single one-off message, Power Automate offers a documented way to do this. You can create a cloud flow that runs on a schedule you define and includes an Office 365 Outlook action to send an email automatically when the flow runs. This is a server-side process, so it does not depend on Outlook being open on a device at the time the message goes out. This approach is different from scheduling a single message from the compose window, and it is better suited to repeating or automated sends rather than a one-time email you are writing right now.

It is also worth noting that Microsoft Bookings is a separate product built for scheduling appointments and managing bookings, not for delaying when an individual email message is sent. If you were looking for a way to let people book time with you, that is a different feature from scheduling an email.

If it doesn’t work

You can’t find a scheduling option

Confirm which Outlook you are using (classic Windows, new Outlook, web, Mac, or mobile), since the option is not always in the same place across versions. Check for available app updates, as Microsoft periodically changes where features sit or how they are labeled.

The email didn’t go out at the time you expected

Check that your device and app were updated and connected around the scheduled time, and confirm the date, time, and AM/PM you selected were correct. If you use a work or school account, it is also worth confirming with your admin that nothing on the organization’s side is affecting mail delivery.

You need to change or cancel a scheduled message

Look for the message in whatever list or folder your version of Outlook uses to hold scheduled items, and open it before the scheduled time to adjust the time, cancel it, or send it right away instead. If you cannot locate it, search your mailbox for the subject line or recipient to find where it is being held.

The recipient says the message arrived at the wrong time

Double-check the time zone your device or account is set to, since the delivery time is based on that setting and may not match the recipient’s local time zone.

Frequently asked questions

How do I schedule an email in Outlook?

Write your message as usual, then look for a scheduling or delayed delivery option in the compose window before you send it, set a future date and time, and confirm. The exact location of this option depends on which version of Outlook you are using.

How do I schedule mail in Outlook on different devices?

The general idea is the same across Windows, Mac, the web, and mobile: compose your message, choose a scheduling option instead of sending immediately, and set a time. The wording and placement of that option can differ between classic Outlook, new Outlook, Outlook on the web, Outlook for Mac, and the mobile app, so check your specific app if the steps above do not match what you see.

Can I schedule more than one email, or a recurring email, in Outlook?

For a single message, you can set a future delivery time directly from the compose window. If you want a message to go out automatically on a recurring schedule, consider building a cloud flow in Power Automate that sends an email when the flow runs on a schedule you set, since that is a documented way to automate repeated sends.

Why can’t I find the scheduling option in my Outlook?

This is usually a version difference. Not every Outlook app places this feature in the same spot, and Microsoft updates these apps regularly, which can change where an option appears. Check that your app is up to date, and if you use a work or school account, confirm with your admin that the feature has not been restricted.

Is scheduling an email the same as Out of Office replies or Bookings?

No. Scheduling an email delays when one message you wrote is sent. Out of Office is an automatic reply sent to people who email you while you are away, covered in our guide on setting an Out of Office message in Outlook. Microsoft Bookings is a separate tool for scheduling appointments, not for delaying email delivery.