How To Delay Sending An Email In Outlook For Mac 2018

Check Enable Undo Send and then set a time interval, up to 30 seconds, of how long you want to delay email sending by to give you a window in which to retract. Total Email Recall As you’ve seen, it’s a simple procedure to retract an email in Outlook.

Sending email at the right time can mean the difference between receiving a prompt response and waiting all day. As someone who lives in Australia with colleagues who mostly reside in North America, Europe, and India, I know what this feels like.

Apple’s Mail app doesn’t come with a scheduler by default, but you can add the functionality using Automator and third party plugins.

Why Delay?

We now exist in a digital world that never sleeps, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t sleep. That’s why managing expectations is so important – how is anyone ever going to know the best time to reach you if you’re always available?

Thanks to the pressure placed upon us by read receipts, we feel compelled to reply to anything the second we see it, even if it’s 3 a.m. Maybe you do work best at unholy hours in your pyjamas, but your coworkers don’t need to know this. It might be a better idea to schedule everything for 8 a.m. the following morning.

There are a few other compelling reasons to delay sending that email. Maybe it’s really important, and you need to read over it before you send it. Maybe it’s someone’s birthday next week. Or maybe the recipient is away for 2 weeks, and you’d rather your message be near the top of the pile when they return.

There are two ways of doing this on your Mac. You can either make do with the software you already have, or invest in a paid tool to make life easier.

Scheduling With Automator

Automator might be your Mac’s most neglected program – find it in the Utilities folder, or search for it using Spotlight. It allows you to record workflows and automate all kinds of tasks, saving time and effort. You can use Automator to schedule an email by creating an application that sends your message, then scheduling that application to run.

1. Open Automator on your Mac and choose Application when prompted.

2. Under the Actions sidebar choose Mail, then click and drag New Mail Message into the panel on the right.

3. Add the recipient and contents of your email. If you would like to send multiple emails at once, keep adding them using the New Mail Message action.

4. Finally click and drag Send Outgoing Mail into the workflow, ensuring it’s at the very bottom.

5. Hit File > Saveand make sure to choose Application from the “File Format” dropdown menu before saving.

6. Open the Calendar application, navigate to the date you would like to send your message and create a new event.

7. Double-click the event to bring up its info, click on the date, then activate the Alert drop-down menu and choose Custom. Now choose Open file, and point it at the Automator application you just saved. Adjust the timing if you like, then click OK.

Make sure your Mac is awake at the time you have set it to schedule. You can get much more fancy with this (try adding attachments4 Tips for Avoiding Common Issues With Apple Mail Attachments4 Tips for Avoiding Common Issues With Apple Mail AttachmentsEmail attachments can run into all sorts of problems. Here's why this happens and how to avoid attachment issues in Apple Mail.Read More or setting up regular alarms) and there are even Calendar events within Automator to play with, for even deeper integration.

Apple Mail Scheduling Plugins

If the Automator method strikes you as clunky and longwinded, you might want to invest in something to make it easier. It might even be worth considering a different mail client altogether.

MailActOn (free trial, $30)

SmallCubed is a small team of Mac developers who have created a useful set of plugins for Apple Mail. MailActOn is one particular product that includes a scheduler, allowing you to dictate exactly when an email is sent. You can choose to send immediately, after a delay, or on a date of your choosing at a specific time.

Keep in mind, it’s absolutely safe & ad-free. Opens in a new tab Step 2. Download youtube for itunes 2018 free on mac.

This is a Mail plugin, not an external service, which means your Mac will need to be on for it to work. Other features included with MailActOn include expanded keyboard shortcuts, automated filling tools, outbox rules for organizing sent messages, and some handy templates for email power users.

You can grab it in a bundle, or pay a one-off fee of $30 to send an unlimited number of scheduled messages. There’s a 30-day free trial, so be sure to test it out before you buy.

MailButler (free option, subscription-based)

A free app called SendLater was once our recommended plugin for scheduling email with Apple Mail. The bad news is that it’s since been swallowed up and is now a part of MailButler, a whole suite of plugins that add extra functionality to Mail. Worse still, it’s an expensive package.

The plugin comes with a free option, which limits the user to “30 professional actions” per month. An action is basically using any of the app’s features, so at face value that’s 30 scheduled outgoing email messages per month. But the service drops additional hidden costs on you, like limiting your actions to a single email account.

You’ll need to cough up €7.95 per month for MailButler in order to send unlimited scheduled messages, from multiple email accounts. There’s also a business tier which adds a whole host of advanced features for just shy of €30 per month. At around €80 per year, MailButler isn’t financially viable for many users.

Alternative Methods

The above method and plugins are the best way to schedule mail using the default macOS Mail app. If you’re not satisfied with either of these, or you’re willing to switch to something else, consider ditching Apple Mail entirely.

Airmail ($10, pictured below) is probably best choice in terms of a third party email client. It supports iCloud, Gmail, IMAP, POP3, and a whole host of other email accounts. It also comes with a handy scheduler which allows you to send email at a later time (provided your Mac in on, and the app is running).

Mozilla’s open source mail client Thunderbird can take advantage of the free Send Later plugin to achieve the same goal. Thunderbird is a free app that’s built up a hearty collection of plugins10 Must-Have Thunderbird Addons (+ 25 More)10 Must-Have Thunderbird Addons (+ 25 More)Thunderbird lives on. This desktop email client thrives because of its many customization options. These must-have Thunderbird addons will help you make the most of it.Read More since its release in 2003, and it’s still going strong.

If you’re a Gmail user then your other option is to use something like Boomerang for Gmail to schedule your outgoing messagesSchedule Your Messages Inside Gmail With BoomerangSchedule Your Messages Inside Gmail With BoomerangBaydin (the company behind Boomerang) has just announced that users can reschedule messages inside Gmail once they have already been scheduled.Read More. You’ll have to do this via the Gmail web interface, but you can connect other non-Gmail accounts and send mail from non-Google addressesHow to Import and Manage Multiple Email Accounts in GmailHow to Import and Manage Multiple Email Accounts in GmailWant to manage all your email with Gmail? Here's how to add multiple emails to your Gmail account and manage them with ease.Read More too if you want.

If you are stuck on Apple Mail and wondering what the alternatives look like, there could be some compelling reasons to opt for a third party client. If you’re a heavy Google user then be sure to check out our favorite Mac Gmail clients too.

For additional Mac tips that help your productivity, check out different ways you can organize your Apple Notes7 Ways to Organize Apple Notes for Smarter Productivity7 Ways to Organize Apple Notes for Smarter ProductivityLove Apple Notes but struggle to keep everything organized? Here's some advice on ways to keep your Apple Notes straight.Read More:

Article updated 24 March 2017

Explore more about: Apple Mail, Desktop Email Client, Email Tips, Mozilla Thunderbird.

Thanks for writing this article. I know I am commenting 4 years after this was initially written, but this was so helpful. Why are these features not standard in ALL email applications? What a shame that Apple does not build this feature into the Mail GUI and make it easily accessible to everyone. I saw that Outlook for MAC does have this feature but only if you are a Office365 subscriber (what a crock).
I am glad that Mozilla Thunderbird is at least watching out for the little guy. Thank you Mozilla! ..and thank you Tim Brookes for this post. I hope you revisit this again in the future and give us a 2019 update of what is available. I saw you updated it back in March of 2017, so you are keeping eye on it. Thank you!
The scheduler for Airmail (at least the desktop version) only supports 'sending later' for Gmail and Exchange accounts.
My eMail provider allows me to do this natively while I'm logged in via a web browser, so if yours allows for that too, no need to fumble around on your local machine :)
Another option is laters.net - works with any email application and there is a free option.
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Airmail can only schedule mail to send at a later time if you are using a Gmail or an Echange account, per the link provided above (handy scheduler). At one time I was considering Airmail for this reason ($10 is not bad), but I do not use gmail so gave it up. I cannot find any other advantage of Airmail over Apple mail other than that. Are there any?
How do you add attachments to the mail message in automator - I clicked on add attachments to front message but can't do anything with that?
Please edit this article to say that you must create a 'On My Mac' calendar. This option will be hidden if you don't already have a local calendar! To do this (with Yosemite) you must disable all current online calendars in the account preferences. Now, when you select File->New Calendars-> 'On My Mac' will appear. This took about 2 hrs to figure out..
too bad Send Later is now ridiculously expensive I had it when it was just a simple app and now bundled with Mail Butler for personal use it's way out of price range
If the computer is off at that time, but is turned on later, will the email send as soon as the computer is turned on? Also is there a good free animator app for android phones? That would solve the problem of my laptop being off at the time I want the email to send.
Hi, but if i want to schedule the answer of an email?
Awesome post, Now we can schedule mail in Gmail by juat downloading a extension named as boomerang in you chrome or firefox. Thats all you can schedule email free of cost. Thank you :-)
For those of you who are having the problem of the alert disappearing - the problem is that your calendar is connected to icloud. You need to create a calendar on your mac, this will make the 'open file' alert work. Here is a text that helped me solve it:
'OK guys- here's the problem. If you have iCloud Calendar turned on it means you want whatever file to open when you trigger it with an alert to happen on all your iCloud devices. It can't do that, so it won't (can't) hold the alert. You have to go to System Preferences>iCloud and uncheck Calendars. Then create a local calendar and try your alert again.'
and
'I was too hasty in my previous reply- let me clarify.
The following information is primarily intended for IT professionals that are deploying Office for Mac to the users in their organizations. The following table summarizes information about the most current version of Office for Mac. Microsoft office for mac free.
You can still leave 'Calendars' checked in iCloud System Preferences- in fact if you share a calendar with any other device this needs to be checked. But if you want to use alerts to trigger opening a file or application (like an Automator app) on your laptop it has to be on a non-iCloud calendar. You have to create a local calendar 'On My Mac' called 'My scripted events,' or something like that.
For example, I want to set a date and time to open an Automator app I created called 'Launch Slideshow.' If I try to add an alert to open that file on an iCloud calendar, iCloud wants to open the file 'Launch Slideshow' on my phone, my iPad, and everything that accesses that calendar in the cloud. This is impossible, even if I in fact have the file 'Launch Slideshow' on the other devices because the path name is ultimately different. So calendar can't hold the alert. Scripted events in Calendar have to be on a non-cloud calendar.
Clear as mud?'
- Thank you!! I was getting so frustrated with he disappearing alert..
When i hit apply the alert, the alert details disappear!! Hundred times the same result!!
I created an Automator application to send attachments automatically.
The workflow is as follows: Get Specified Finder Items, New Mail Message, Add Attachments to Front Message, Send Outgoing Messages.
I then created an Event in Calendar that launched the above application. Everything worked fine, except that the message was not sent. It automatically created the message, sending to the correct email address on the correct date, but the message did not automatically go out.
Best antivirus for mac. Am I missing a command in the workflow?
Thanks
I'd like to point out a couple of tweaks, in the use of Automator to schedule emails, that may make it a little easier and more predictable to set up and test:
1) If, in testing this method, you set up a Calendar event to run an Automator application, you may find that it does not work, at first. This may be due to the fact that the event is still open in Calendar and may not have been saved. When you create Calendar event, the program doesn't necessarily save the new event until you move to another event or another day. You can ensure that your activating event is recorded by clicking 'Apply' or by clicking on another day or event, so that the newly-created event is actually added to the Calendar data file.
2) Since you've created a new application, the File Quarantine alert may be activated the first time you try to execute the new application you've created. If you're not there to approve it, the app may not execute. You can prevent this problem by inserting your own email address and some dummy-text in the message, when you create the Automator application, and then executing the application manually, so as to invoke and approve the File Quarantine alert before you actually employ it.
- I've clicked 'Apply' but the Alert details immediately disappear. What am I doing wrong?
- I am still having trouble with #2 - the file quarantine. I tried setting it up with my own email address and see that the second time this is scheduled, I don't get the warning. BUT, when I save the automator again for any reason, File Quarantine appears to reset and want to confirm execution again. So there appears to be no way to change the addressee without ending up blocked by File Quarantine. I'd have to send them one message just to get past quarantine. Apple has become quite an obstacle with its nanny software.
  - I figured out a workaround to the File Quarantine obstacle with changing the addressee. If you send the message to an addressbook group, then you can test and approve the execution of the script while having your own email in the group, then change the group recipient to your intended one before your scheduled sending time.
Calendar doesn't seem to play nice for me when adding in a custom multi-day-per-week repeat with the open file procedure when scheduling.
THANK YOU so much! Terrific - I love Automator <3
Good article and very well detailed. One problem I'm having is the 'Your opening the application 'x' for the first time..' warning. This means that, if I'm not at my computer to click 'open', when the iCal event opens the email will not send.
Good article and very detailed. One problem I'm running into is the 'Your opening the application 'x' for the first time' warning. This means, if I'm not at my computer when the iCal event takes place, the email will not send until I tell OS X to open the application.
Great article.
Do you have any recommendations for an OS X app that schedules incoming emails? Instead of receiving each email as it comes, I'd like to get emails at specific time slots.
I am having trouble saving the event. It sets it up but when I leave the event window it deletes the open file reminder. Anyone have a idea as to why?
Thanks
Kyle
- I'm the same. Did you get an answer to this?
- I found it saved to my original calendar although I had disable them all. Just need to change the 'colour' of the calendar to the iMac one then the event will appear.
what if I want all my emails to go into an outbox, before actually sending them, like in windows live mail. and then when I`ve reread them and I want to send them I want a send/receive option (like windows) so that all emails in my outbox get sent at once

How many times have you sent an email and then realized a few seconds later that your snarky comment was sent to the entire mailing list, or left an embarrassing typo in an email to somebody you were trying to impress?

Using the “Defer” rule in outlook, we can setup a rule that essentially pauses all message delivery for a few minutes after you click the Send button, to give you a chance to recover.

Select Rules and Alerts from the Tools menu, and then click on the New Rule button.

Under “Start from a blank rule”, choose Check messages after sending, and then click Next.

Click the Next button again on the “Which conditions do you want to check” screen, and you’ll be prompted with this dialog informing you that the rule will apply to all messages. If you want to, you can set this rule up to only work for certain groups.

How To Delay Sending An Email In Outlook 2013

On the next screen, check the box for “defer delivery by a number of minutes”, and then click on “a number of” and change the defer minutes to something like 5 minutes, although you can change it to whatever you’d like.

How To Delay Sending An Email In Outlook For Mac 2018

I originally tried using a 1 minute delay, but it didn’t give me enough time to realize the mistake and then locate the message and fix the problem.

Can You Delay Sending An Email In Outlook

Click the Next button, and then give the rule a name, preferably something memorable so you’ll recognize it in the list.

Compose Mail

Now when you send messages, you’ll notice that they sit in the Outbox for a few minutes. If you want to stop a message from going out, your best bet is to just delete it from the Outbox, but you could attempt to just fix the mistake and then resend.

Easternnin