How to Delay Sending an Email in Outlook (Every Message)

We've all hit Send and spotted the typo, the missing attachment or the wrong name half a second later. A delay gives you a window to catch those mistakes before the email leaves. Outlook can hold every message you send for a few minutes automatically, or give you an undo button, depending on which version you use. Here's how to set up both, and how it's different from scheduling.

Delay versus schedule: what's the difference?

Feature	What it does	Best for
Delay rule	Holds every email you send for a set number of minutes	Catching mistakes on all your mail
Undo send	Gives you a short window to cancel after clicking Send	Quick second thoughts in new Outlook
Schedule send	Sends one email at a time and date you choose	Timing a single message

If you want one email to arrive on Monday morning, that's scheduling. If you'd like a safety net on everything, you'll want a delay rule or undo send. This guide focuses on the safety net.

Delay all emails with a rule in classic Outlook

1. Select the File tab.
2. Select Manage Rules & Alerts, then New Rule.
3. Under Start from a Blank Rule, select Apply rule on messages I send, then Next.
4. Leave the conditions unticked to cover every email and select Next. When Outlook asks whether to apply the rule to all messages you send, select Yes.
5. Tick defer delivery by a number of minutes.
6. In the lower box, click a number of and type how many minutes to wait.
7. Select OK, add any exceptions, then name the rule and tick Turn on this rule.
8. Select Finish.

Microsoft says delivery can be delayed by up to 120 minutes. Each message then waits in your Outbox for that time after you click Send. I use two minutes: long enough to catch a slip, short enough that nobody's kept waiting.

The big catch with a delay rule

The delay only works while Outlook is open and connected. If you send an email and close your laptop straight away, it sits in the Outbox until you're back online. Before shutting down, glance at the Outbox and make sure it's empty.

Add exceptions so urgent emails go straight away

During the rule set-up you can add exceptions. A common one is to skip the delay when an email is marked as high importance, so you can still fire off something urgent instantly. It's a neat way to have a safety net without slowing down the emails that matter most.

Undo send in new Outlook

New Outlook and Outlook on the web handle this differently. Instead of a rule, they offer Undo send, which briefly holds a message after you click Send so you can cancel it. Find it in Settings, then Mail, then the compose settings, and choose how long you want the window to be. When you send, a small Undo button appears. Click it in time and the email returns to your drafts.

Delay a single email instead

If you only want to hold one message, in classic Outlook open Message Options while composing and, under Delivery options, tick Do not deliver before and pick a time. In new Outlook, use the arrow next to Send and choose Schedule send. Microsoft notes that this option isn't available for IMAP or POP accounts in new Outlook, so it depends on which email account you've added.

Which delay length should you choose?

Pick something that matches how you work. One or two minutes catches most slips, such as a wrong attachment or a misspelt name, without anyone noticing a delay. Five or ten minutes suits people who tend to fire off replies in a hurry and want time to cool down. Longer delays rarely help: if you need an hour to think about an email, save it as a draft instead. You can change the number in the rule any time from Manage Rules & Alerts.

Changed your mind? Send it now

• Classic Outlook: open the message in your Outbox, go to Message Options and clear Do not deliver before, then Close and Send.
• New Outlook: open the scheduled message in Drafts and select Cancel send, then Send.

Why a delay is worth it

A short delay is the simplest insurance in email. It catches wrong recipients, forgotten attachments and messages written in a temper. Remember that recalling an email in Outlook only works in limited situations, so stopping a mistake before it leaves is far more reliable than chasing it afterwards. If you send a lot of client emails, my email sequence prompt pack helps you draft them calmly in the first place, and this swipe file for keeping customers has wording for the trickier ones.

My verdict

In classic Outlook, create a rule that defers delivery by two minutes on messages you send, with an exception for high importance mail. In new Outlook, switch on Undo send. Either way, keep Outlook open until the Outbox is empty, and use Schedule send when you want one email to land at a specific time.

Frequently asked questions

How long can Outlook delay sending emails?

Microsoft says a delay rule in classic Outlook can hold messages for up to 120 minutes.

Does Outlook need to stay open for delayed emails to send?

Yes. Outlook needs to be online and connected, otherwise messages wait in the Outbox.

What's the difference between delay and schedule send in Outlook?

A delay holds every email for a set time after you click Send. Schedule send sends one email at a time you choose.

Can I delay emails in new Outlook?

New Outlook offers Undo send for a short delay and Schedule send for single messages, rather than a delay rule.

How do I send a delayed email immediately?

In classic Outlook, open it in the Outbox and clear Do not deliver before. In new Outlook, open it in Drafts and select Cancel send, then Send.