How To Schedule An Email In Outlook – A Simple, Step-by-Step Guide

You finish typing an email. It’s now ready. But the timing? Not quite. Maybe the person is in a different time zone. Maybe you don’t want it to arrive at midnight. Or maybe you want it to land at 8:00 AM sharp. That’s when Outlook gives you an option—to write now, send later.

Let’s get to know how to schedule an email in Outlook.

Scheduling an email is like setting a timer. You choose the day and hour. Outlook takes care of the rest. No alarms. No reminders. Just automatic delivery when you want it.

Let’s explore how to do that.

Outlook Gives You Control

You don’t always want to hit send right away. Maybe it’s a holiday. Maybe it’s the weekend. Or maybe you’re just planning ahead. Outlook helps you keep that control.

Instead of saving drafts or setting personal reminders, you simply choose the date and hour once. That email goes out on its own. Whether you’re asleep or in a meeting, Outlook does the job.

And you don’t need extra tools. It’s already built in.

Start With a New Message

Open Outlook. Click “New Email.” You’ll see the usual blank window—the space for your message, subject, and recipient.

Type your email like you normally would. You can add links, images, attachments, anything you need.

The part that makes this special comes next.

Find the Right Setting

Look at the top ribbon. There’s a tab that says “Options.” Click it. Now you’ll see a button called “Delay Delivery.” That’s your key.

Click “Delay Delivery.” A new box appears. It says “Properties” at the top.

Here’s where the magic happens.

Set the Time and Date

In the “Delivery options” section, you’ll see something called Do not deliver before.

Now pick your perfect time. You can choose today, tomorrow, next week—any date on the calendar. Then pick the hour and minutes.

That’s it. You’ve just told Outlook when to send your message.

Once you’re done, close that box. Then hit “Send” like usual.

But here’s the difference: your message won’t go out right now. It stays in your Outbox. At the time you picked, Outlook will send it out on its own.

Don’t Close Outlook Too Soon

There’s one thing to remember. If you’re using the desktop version of Outlook, your computer must stay connected for the scheduled email to go out.

So if you plan to shut down or log off, leave Outlook open. The app needs to be running. If it’s closed, the email waits in the Outbox until you open it again.

If you’re using Outlook on the web, don’t worry. That version handles everything in the cloud. Your computer can be off. The email still goes out as scheduled.

Want To Change It Later?

Sometimes plans change. Maybe you need to fix a word. Or maybe you want to send it earlier.

Go to your Outbox. Find the scheduled message. Double-click it to open. Then click “Options” again. Go to “Delay Delivery.” You can adjust the time. Or remove the delay altogether by unchecking the box.

Click “Send” again to update it. Simple.

Works For Replies Too

You don’t have to use this only for new emails. You can schedule replies the same way. Open the reply. Follow the same steps. Click “Options.” Choose “Delay Delivery.” Set the time.

It works just like a normal email—only later.

This is useful when you want to reply thoughtfully but don’t want to rush. It also helps if you want your response to appear at a certain time without writing it last minute.

Use It For Planning Ahead

The best part? You can plan emails for the whole week. Or longer. Draft your messages now. Schedule each one. Then relax. Outlook handles the timing.

This is perfect for team updates, birthday wishes, meeting notes, or follow-ups. Write when you’re free. Schedule for when others are online.

It keeps you ahead—without working extra hours.

No Add-Ons Needed

You don’t need to download anything extra. This feature works right inside Outlook. Whether you’re using the desktop version or the browser version, scheduling is easy.

On the web, the steps are even quicker. Once you finish writing the message, click the arrow next to “Send.” Choose “Send later.” Pick your time. Done.

It’s all built-in. Nothing fancy. Just helpful.

Mistakes Happen—And That’s Okay

If you scheduled something and changed your mind, it’s easy to fix. Find the email in your Outbox. Open it. Edit. Reschedule. Or delete it.

Outlook doesn’t lock you in. You stay in charge.

Even if the message already left the Outbox, you can still send a quick follow-up if needed. You always have options.

It’s Not Just About Timing—It’s About Peace

When you schedule emails, your mind gets clear. You don’t have to remember what to send tomorrow. You don’t have to write during your weekend.

You stay focused now. Your emails take care of the future.

And when people receive your messages right when they need them, they pay more attention. The timing feels right.

You didn’t send too early. You didn’t send too late. You sent just when it made sense.

All thanks to one small setting.

Author: Prim Geeks