keyboard letters spelling email

Delay Your Outbound Email

Have you ever had that moment when you sent an email only to realize within seconds you had made a mistake or forgotten to include an attachment.  Sometimes you just need a little grace.  Outlook gives you that. 

By creating a rule regarding email, you can have Outlook delay your outbound emails. This gives you an opportunity to stop it from going out in the Outbox if you need to correct an error or rephrase something.

  1. Click File, then Manage Rules & Alerts.
    account information
  2. Click New Rule.
    Rules and Alerts
  3. Select Apply rule on messages I send then click Next.
    Rules Wizzard
  4. On the conditions screen, you may set conditions that limit when this rule applies. In this example, we want it to apply to all emails sent, so none will be selected, and Next can be clicked. A warning will appear that it will apply to every message, click Yes.
    Rules Wizzard

    Microsoft Outlook Apply Rules
  5. In Step 1, check the box next to defer delivery by a number of minutes, then in Step 2 click the link for “a number of.”
    Rules Wizzard
  6. Set how long you would like the messages to be delayed, then click OK, then Next when it returns you to the previous screen.
    Rules Wizzard
  7. On the exceptions screen you may set exceptions where the rule will not be applied. Click Next.
    Rules Wizzard
  8. Enter a name for your new rule, then click Finish.
    Rules Wizzard
  9. Your new rule is complete. Click OK to exit the Rules and Alerts management.
    Rules and Alerts

Now whenever you send an email, it will sit in your Outbox folder for the amount of time you set before sending it. This will give you a chance to delete or edit it there before it goes out.

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