Where Does Outlook Store Scheduled and Delayed Emails?
Question details
The user needs to find the exact folder location where Microsoft Outlook holds emails that have been scheduled or delayed for future delivery.
- Product
- Microsoft Outlook
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Locating a scheduled or delayed email to verify its status, make edits, or cancel the delivery before it is dispatched.
- Observed behavior
- Delayed messages are held in different folders depending on whether the user is accessing Outlook via the Windows desktop client or the web version.
Verify whether you are using the Outlook desktop application for Windows or Outlook on the web, as this determines where your delayed messages are stored.
Locate Delayed Emails in Outlook for Windows
Use this method if you are running the Microsoft Outlook desktop application on a Windows computer.
In the desktop version of Outlook for Windows, emails that are configured with a delivery delay do not stay in your Drafts folder. Instead, they are queued for delivery.
Open your Outlook desktop application and look at the left-hand navigation pane where your email folders are listed.
Scroll down and click on the 'Outbox' folder. Your delayed message is held safely in this folder until the scheduled delivery time arrives.
To make changes, double-click the email in the Outbox. You can edit the contents, change the delivery delay options, or delete the email entirely to cancel it.
Once the scheduled time has passed and the email is successfully dispatched, it will automatically move from the Outbox to your 'Sent Items' folder.
Find Scheduled Emails in Outlook on the Web
Follow these steps if you use Outlook through a web browser (Outlook.com or Microsoft 365 webmail).
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- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package for your PC or Mac.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn't my delayed email send at the scheduled time in Outlook for Windows?
In the Outlook desktop app for Windows, delayed emails only send if the application is currently open and connected to the server. If your computer is asleep or Outlook is closed at the scheduled time, the email will remain in the Outbox and will be sent the next time you open the program.
Can I edit an email after I have scheduled it to be sent?
Yes. If you are using Outlook for Windows, go to the Outbox, double-click the email to open it, make your edits, and click Send again. In Outlook on the web, navigate to the Drafts folder, select the scheduled email, and choose to edit it.
How do I cancel a delayed email before it goes out?
To cancel a delayed email, find it in your Outbox (for Windows desktop) or Drafts (for Outlook on the web). Open the message and either remove the delay delivery setting from the message options or simply delete the email entirely.
Do scheduled emails work if my computer is turned off?
If you scheduled the email using Outlook on the web, it will still send even if your computer is off, because the action is processed on Microsoft's servers. However, if you used the Outlook for Windows desktop app, the email will not send until you turn your computer back on and open Outlook.
