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How to Schedule Custom Times in Microsoft Scheduling Poll

Maira Mehtab Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know how to schedule meeting times at custom, specific intervals (such as 8:15 AM or 10:45 AM) in Microsoft Scheduling Poll instead of the default 30-minute increments.

Product: Microsoft Scheduling Poll
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating a scheduling poll in Outlook to propose specific meeting times to multiple attendees.
Observed behavior: The scheduling tool only allows users to select meeting times in fixed 30-minute increments, making it impossible to natively select 15-minute or 45-minute custom slots.

Before you start

Verify that you are using the latest version of Microsoft Outlook, as interface options for add-ins and scheduling tools can vary slightly between desktop and web versions.

Solution 1Recommended

Use a 30-Minute Time Slot and Add Custom Details

Since custom time increments are currently a product limitation, the best immediate workaround is to select the closest 30-minute slot and clarify the exact time in the meeting details.

Microsoft Scheduling Poll has a hardcoded product-design limitation that strictly enforces 30-minute meeting increments. Natively selecting a time like 8:15 AM is not possible, so users must rely on manual communication to clarify exact start times.

Create your Scheduling Poll

Open a new email in Outlook, add your attendees, and launch the Scheduling Poll feature from the toolbar.

Select the closest 30-minute block

Choose the 30-minute increment that covers your intended meeting time. For example, if you want an 8:15 AM meeting, select the 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM slot.

Add a clarification note

In the body of your email or the poll description, explicitly type out the custom meeting time (e.g., 'Please note the actual meeting time will be from 8:15 AM to 8:45 AM') so all attendees are aligned.

Communication is Key: Make sure your custom time note is highly visible in your email draft so attendees do not accidentally show up at the earlier 30-minute mark.

Solution 2

Submit Feature Request Feedback to Microsoft

Report this limitation directly to the Microsoft product team so they can consider adding 15-minute or custom increments in future updates.

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1. Visit the Official Website: Go to the official WPS Office website to access the free download page.
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3. Install and Launch: Run the setup file and follow the quick installation prompts. Once finished, open WPS Office to start managing your schedules and documents immediately.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the default 30-minute increment in Microsoft Scheduling Poll?

No. At this time, the 30-minute time increment is a strict product-design limitation implemented by Microsoft and cannot be changed through any settings.

Does FindTime still work for custom times?

Microsoft Scheduling Poll has officially replaced FindTime. Any feature limitations present in Scheduling Poll, including the inability to set custom meeting intervals, now apply to all Outlook users who previously relied on FindTime.

Will Microsoft add custom times to Scheduling Poll in the future?

Microsoft frequently updates its software based on user requests. By submitting feedback through the Outlook Help tab or the Microsoft Feedback portal, users can encourage the product team to implement 15-minute or custom increments in future releases.

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