Sending emails at the right time can make all the difference in how they’re received. Whether you’re reaching out to international clients in different time zones, planning marketing campaigns, or simply trying to maintain work-life balance, knowing how to schedule an email in Outlook is a valuable skill. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of scheduling emails in Microsoft Outlook and share best practices to help your messages hit the inbox at the perfect moment.
Why Schedule Emails in Outlook?
Email scheduling is a powerful feature. It lets you write emails when you have time. Then Outlook sends them automatically at your chosen time. This simple tool can transform your email workflow.
Outlook remains one of the most popular email clients worldwide, holding 30% of the global email market share with 400 million active users. (Source: ElectroIQ) This widespread adoption makes mastering its features particularly valuable for professionals.
The benefits of scheduling emails extend beyond simple convenience. Here are several compelling reasons to use this feature:
- Respect for time zones – Send emails during recipients’ business hours even if you’re asleep
- Work-life balance – Prepare emails during work hours but schedule them for later delivery
- Optimal timing – Target high-engagement times when recipients are most likely to read emails
- Consistent communication – Maintain regular contact with clients or team members
- Better planning – Organize email campaigns or important announcements in advance
By mastering Outlook’s scheduling features, you join the 65% of users who report that Outlook’s smart features improve their email management efficiency. (Source: ElectroIQ) Now, let’s explore how to actually schedule your emails across different Outlook platforms.
Different Ways to Schedule Emails in Outlook
Microsoft offers multiple versions of Outlook. Each one has the scheduling feature. The basic function works similarly across all versions. But the exact steps may vary slightly. Let’s look at each main version.
With 50% of Outlook users relying on Outlook 365 (Microsoft’s cloud service), followed by Outlook 2021 (17%) and Outlook 2019 (14%), it’s important to cover the process across different versions. (Source: ElectroIQ)
Before we dive into specific instructions, here’s a comparison of scheduling capabilities across different Outlook versions:
This table highlights the differences between Outlook versions. Outlook 365 offers the most complete scheduling capabilities. Now let’s look at how to schedule emails in each version.
Scheduling Emails in Outlook Desktop Application
The desktop version offers the most robust scheduling options. Many business professionals prefer it for this reason. Here’s how to schedule emails step by step:
First, create a new email as you normally would. Write your message, add recipients, and include any attachments. Then follow these steps to schedule it:
- Click the “Options” tab in the message window
- Find and click the “Delay Delivery” button in the More Options group
- Check the box that says “Do not deliver before”
- Select your desired date and time for delivery
- Click “Close” to return to your message
- Complete your email and click “Send”
After sending, the email will sit in your Outbox folder until the scheduled time arrives. Then Outlook will automatically send it. Remember that your computer must be on and Outlook running for the scheduled email to send. If using Exchange server or Microsoft 365, the server can send it even if your computer is off.
This desktop method works best for business professionals who need precise control over their email communication timing. With Microsoft 365’s 30% share of the global office software market, many enterprises rely on this feature for critical communications. (Source: ElectroIQ)
Scheduling Emails in Outlook Web App (OWA)
Many people now use the web version of Outlook. It offers a clean interface and works from any browser. Scheduling emails in Outlook Web App follows a slightly different process:
Start by composing your email as usual. Then follow these steps to schedule it:
- Look for the dropdown arrow next to the “Send” button
- Click the arrow and select “Send later” from the menu
- Choose your preferred date and time from the calendar interface
- Click “Send” to schedule the email
The Outlook Web App stores your scheduled email in a “Scheduled” folder. You can edit or cancel it anytime before it sends. This method works well for professionals who switch between devices or work remotely.
With 60% of Outlook users accessing their emails via mobile devices, the ability to schedule from any browser offers valuable flexibility. (Source: ElectroIQ)
Scheduling Emails in Outlook Mobile App
The Outlook mobile app brings scheduling to your smartphone. This helps you manage emails on the go. The process is straightforward:
After composing your email, follow these simple steps:
- Tap the three dots menu (more options) at the top right of the compose screen
- Select “Schedule send” from the menu
- Choose from the suggested times or set a custom time
- Tap “Schedule” to confirm
Mobile scheduling works well for quick responses that you want to time strategically. The Outlook mobile app ranks impressively among email apps – 4th on iOS and 3rd on Android – making it a popular choice for on-the-go email management. (Source: ElectroIQ)
Best Practices for Scheduled Emails
Scheduling emails is simple. Using the feature effectively requires some strategy. These best practices will help you maximize the benefits of email scheduling in Outlook:
These practices help ensure your scheduled emails achieve their intended purpose. Particularly important is maintaining clean email lists – 70% of corporate Outlook users implement security practices like verified recipient lists to ensure proper email delivery. (Source: ElectroIQ)
When scheduling important emails, timing matters significantly. Here are some research-backed suggestions for optimal send times based on email purpose:
Remember that these times serve as general guidelines. Your specific audience may have different habits. Track response rates to find the best times for your particular recipients.
Additionally, properly formatted emails tend to perform better regardless of when they’re sent. Clean formatting improves readability and professionalism.
Troubleshooting Common Issues with Scheduled Emails
Even with careful planning, scheduled emails can sometimes encounter issues. Let’s examine common problems and their solutions.
Understanding these potential issues helps you troubleshoot effectively. Here are solutions to the most frequent scheduling problems:
The last issue – deliverability problems – affects many Outlook users. Improving your email marketing strategy often starts with ensuring your messages actually reach recipients’ inboxes.
For many business users, the most frustrating issue is scheduled emails not sending from desktop Outlook. This typically happens when:
- Your computer is turned off at the scheduled delivery time
- Outlook application isn’t running
- You’re working offline when the delivery time arrives
To prevent this problem, consider using Outlook connected to Microsoft Exchange or Office 365. With these services, the server handles delivery even when your local Outlook isn’t running, which explains why 50% of Outlook users now rely on the cloud-based Office 365 service. (Source: ElectroIQ)
Advanced Email Scheduling Techniques in Outlook
Basic scheduling works for most needs. Advanced users can employ additional techniques. These methods add power and flexibility to your email workflows.
Here are some advanced scheduling capabilities in Outlook:
Creating Recurring Scheduled Emails
Outlook desktop versions support recurring emails through rules. This helps with regular reports, reminders, or updates. Here’s how to set it up:
- Create an email template by drafting an email and saving it as an Outlook Template (.oft file)
- Go to Rules & Alerts in Outlook
- Create a new rule with time-based triggers
- Set actions to use your email template
- Specify your schedule and recipients
This technique works well for weekly team updates, monthly reports, or quarterly reviews. The rule runs automatically according to your specified schedule.
Using Delayed Sending for All Emails
Some professionals prefer to delay all outgoing emails briefly. This creates a buffer period to catch mistakes. To set this up:
- Go to File > Options > Advanced
- Click “Send/Receive”
- Check “Process all messages after sending”
- Create a rule to delay delivery of all messages
This approach gives you a few minutes to realize you’ve made a mistake and stop an email from sending. It’s particularly valuable for professionals who sometimes respond emotionally to emails.
These advanced techniques represent the type of functionality that has helped Outlook maintain its strong market position despite competition from Gmail, which leads the global email market with 40% share compared to Outlook’s 30%. (Source: ElectroIQ)
How Email Verification Tools Complement Scheduled Emails
Scheduling helps perfect your timing. But timing alone doesn’t ensure success. Your emails need to actually reach valid inboxes. This is where email verification becomes essential.
At mailfloss, we see how scheduling and verification work together. Our automated email verification tool removes invalid addresses from your lists. This ensures your carefully timed messages reach real people.
When you schedule important emails or campaigns in Outlook, the last thing you want is to waste that perfect timing on nonexistent addresses. Invalid emails can:
- Damage your sender reputation
- Trigger spam filters
- Skew your engagement metrics
- Waste resources on unreachable contacts
Email verification tools like mailfloss integrate with your existing email infrastructure to automatically clean your lists. This works especially well with scheduled email campaigns in Outlook.
For Outlook users who regularly schedule emails to multiple recipients, improving email deliverability should be a top priority. Even the most perfectly timed email is worthless if it never reaches the inbox.
The integration is straightforward. mailfloss connects with over 35 email service providers, ensuring that your Outlook contacts or marketing lists remain clean automatically. You set it up once in about 60 seconds, and it works continuously in the background.
To get the most from scheduled emails in Outlook, pair the timing precision of scheduling with the deliverability assurance of email verification. This combination ensures your messages not only arrive at the perfect time but actually reach their intended recipients.
Conclusion
Scheduling emails in Outlook puts you in control of your communication timing. This seemingly simple feature offers powerful benefits for busy professionals.
We’ve covered the step-by-step process for scheduling emails across different Outlook versions. We’ve explored best practices, troubleshooting tips, and advanced techniques. And we’ve seen how email verification tools like mailfloss complement scheduling by ensuring deliverability.
By mastering email scheduling in Outlook, you join the many professionals who use this feature to:
- Communicate across time zones efficiently
- Maintain work-life balance
- Hit optimal sending times for better engagement
- Plan marketing campaigns strategically
- Stay organized with proactive communication
Remember that timing and deliverability work together. Email validation solutions like mailfloss ensure your perfectly timed messages actually reach their destination.
Start implementing these techniques today. Your email productivity and effectiveness will improve significantly. And your recipients will appreciate your thoughtful communication timing.