How To Delay Email Delivery In Outlook? 2025

Outlook lets you delay sending emails in three ways:

• Delay a single message.
• Set up a rule to delay all emails.
• Set up auto-send.

Have you ever sent an email and instantly wished you hadn't? Maybe you clicked "Reply All" instead of "Reply," sent sensitive information to the wrong recipient, or reacted impulsively to a situation. Delaying emails gives you a chance to review your message before it's actually sent.

Microsoft Outlook provides tools to delay email delivery, but these features only work with Office 365 and Microsoft Exchange accounts. Here's how you can use them.

How to Delay Sending a Single Message in Outlook

Delaying a specific message ensures it gets delivered at a specific time. Follow these steps to schedule your email:

1. Compose your email: While writing your message, open the Options tab.
2. Access delivery options: Click the Delay Delivery button in the More Options group.
3. Set delivery time: In the Properties dialog box, check the Do not deliver before box. Then set the desired date and time for delivery.
4. Close the dialog box: Click Close.
5. Send the email: Press the Send button. Your email will stay in the Outbox folder until the specified time.

Note: You can edit or delete the email while it's in the Outbox before the scheduled time.

How to Reschedule or Cancel a Delayed Email

1. Access the email from the Outbox.
2. On the Options tab, click Delay Delivery.
3. In the Properties dialog box:
   • Clear the Do not deliver before checkbox to send immediately.
   • Change the delivery time to reschedule the email.
4. Click Close and then Send.

Differences Between Delay Delivery and Schedule Send

Here's how these features differ:

• Delay Delivery: The email stays in the Outbox until the delivery time. You can edit or delete it before it's sent.
• Schedule Send: The email remains in the Drafts folder. You can manually send it earlier by selecting Send Now.

Note: These features are only available in the desktop version of Outlook. If Outlook is closed at the scheduled time, the email will be sent the next time Outlook is opened.

Advantages of Using Delay Email in Outlook

Delaying emails can save time and improve productivity. Here’s why:

• Time management: Plan and schedule emails ahead of time.
• Focus: Reduce email interruptions during work hours.
• Better responses: Avoid impulsive replies by giving yourself time to reconsider.
• Time zone optimization: Schedule emails to align with recipients' time zones for better response rates.

Conclusion

Delaying email delivery in Outlook is a valuable tool for managing communication and improving productivity. By planning your emails ahead of time, you can ensure they are sent at the right moment and with the right message. Whether you're sending a single email or setting a rule for all emails, these features offer flexibility and control.