How do I schedule an email in Gmail?

In Gmail on desktop, compose your email, then click the dropdown arrow next to the Send button and select 'Schedule send.' Choose a suggested time or click 'Pick date & time' to set a custom schedule. On mobile, tap the three-dot menu in the compose window and select 'Schedule send.'

Can I schedule recurring emails in Gmail?

No, Gmail does not support recurring scheduled emails natively. You would need to use a Google Workspace add-on, a third-party tool, or a Google Apps Script to send emails on a recurring schedule.

How many emails can I schedule in Gmail at once?

Gmail allows up to 100 scheduled emails at a time. If you try to schedule more than 100, you'll get an error. Scheduled emails are stored in the 'Scheduled' folder in your sidebar.

Can I cancel a scheduled email in Gmail?

Yes. Go to the 'Scheduled' folder in your Gmail sidebar, open the email you want to cancel, and click 'Cancel send.' The email will move back to your Drafts folder where you can edit and resend or delete it.

What happens to scheduled emails if I'm offline?

Scheduled emails are sent by Gmail's servers, not your device. So they'll send at the scheduled time even if your computer is off or you're offline. However, you must be online when you initially schedule the email.

April 11, 2026

How to Schedule Emails in Gmail (Desktop & Mobile)

Send emails at the perfect time — even if you're writing them at 2 AM. Here's how to schedule sends on every platform, plus the limits Gmail won't tell you about.

You wrote the email. But it's 11:47 PM and you don't want your boss to think you have no life. Or it's Monday morning and your client is in Tokyo, where it's already Tuesday afternoon.

Gmail has a built-in schedule send feature that handles this. It works on desktop, Android, and iPhone. Here's exactly how to use it on every platform — plus the limitations that catch people off guard.

Schedule an Email on Gmail Desktop (Web)

Step 1: Open Gmail and click Compose (or press C).

Step 2: Write your email — add recipients, subject, and body as usual.

Step 3: Instead of clicking Send, click the small dropdown arrow next to the Send button.

Step 4: Select Schedule send.

Step 5: Choose one of the suggested times, or click Pick date & time to set your own.

Step 6: Click Schedule send to confirm.

Your email moves to the Scheduled folder in the left sidebar. It stays there until the scheduled time, when Gmail's servers send it automatically.

Keyboard shortcut tip: You can't schedule send with a keyboard shortcut in Gmail. The dropdown arrow next to Send is mouse-only. If you send emails on a schedule frequently, this gets old fast.

Schedule an Email on Gmail Mobile (Android & iPhone)

The process is nearly identical on both Android and iOS.

Step 1: Open the Gmail app and tap Compose.

Step 2: Write your email.

Step 3: Tap the three-dot menu (top-right corner of the compose window).

Step 4: Tap Schedule send.

Step 5: Pick a suggested time or tap Pick date & time.

Same result — your email lands in the Scheduled folder and sends at the specified time.

How to View, Edit, or Cancel Scheduled Emails

View your scheduled emails

Click Scheduled in the left sidebar (desktop) or hamburger menu (mobile). All your pending scheduled emails are listed here with their send times.

Cancel a scheduled email

Open the email in the Scheduled folder.
Click Cancel send (the button appears at the top of the email).
The email moves to Drafts. You can edit it and reschedule, send immediately, or delete it.

Edit a scheduled email

You can't directly edit a scheduled email. You have to cancel it first, which moves it to Drafts. Then open the draft, make your changes, and schedule it again. It's two extra steps every time.

Gmail's Suggested Schedule Times

When you click Schedule send, Gmail offers three suggested times. These are context-aware:

Suggestion	When it appears	Typical time
Tomorrow morning	Always	8:00 AM local time
Tomorrow afternoon	When composing in the morning/midday	1:00 PM local time
Monday morning	When composing on Fri/Sat/Sun	8:00 AM Monday

These suggestions use your local time zone, not the recipient's. If you're scheduling emails for people in other time zones, always use "Pick date & time" and do the math yourself.

Limitations of Gmail Schedule Send

Gmail's scheduling feature works for basic use cases. But it has hard limits that trip up power users:

100-email cap: You can only have 100 scheduled emails queued at a time. Hit the limit and you'll get an error with no workaround.

No recurring emails: You can't schedule the same email to send every Monday. Each one has to be scheduled manually.

No time zone awareness: Schedule times are in your local time zone. Gmail doesn't know or care what time it is for the recipient.

No batch scheduling: You can't select multiple drafts and schedule them all at once. Each email is one-at-a-time.

No keyboard shortcut: The only way to access Schedule send is by clicking the dropdown arrow next to Send. No shortcut, no hotkey.

Editing requires cancellation: To change anything about a scheduled email — including the send time — you must cancel it, edit the draft, and reschedule from scratch.

No send confirmation: Once a scheduled email sends, there's no notification. It just appears in your Sent folder silently.

When Scheduling Isn't Enough: Alternatives

If you schedule emails regularly — for follow-ups, weekly updates, or cross-timezone communication — Gmail's built-in feature starts to feel limited fast. Here are your options:

Google Apps Script (free, DIY)

You can write a Google Apps Script that sends emails on a time-based trigger. This gives you recurring emails and batch sends, but requires scripting knowledge and ongoing maintenance.

Gmail add-ons (Boomerang, Mixmax)

Third-party add-ons bolt scheduling features onto Gmail's web interface. They add recurring sends, read tracking, and snooze. The downside: most require a paid subscription ($5-15/mo) and read your email data.

Desktop email client

A dedicated desktop client gives you email scheduling alongside everything else Gmail's web interface is missing — proper keyboard shortcuts, per-message sorting, drag-and-drop organization, and offline access that actually works. Instead of bolting features onto a web app one by one, you get a complete email experience.

Tired of Gmail's scheduling workarounds?

ChainMail is a desktop email client for Gmail that gives you the keyboard shortcuts, sorting, and workflow tools that the web interface lacks.

Try ChainMail Free

Best Practices for Scheduling Emails

Respect time zones. If your recipient is in a different time zone, schedule for their business hours, not yours. Gmail doesn't do this math for you.
Don't over-schedule. Having 50 emails queued up and forgetting about them leads to outdated messages going out. Review your Scheduled folder weekly.
Use it for perception management. Sending a 3 AM email tells people you're either dedicated or disorganized. Scheduling it for 8:30 AM says neither.
Double-check before scheduling. Unlike regular sends, there's no "Undo" toast after scheduling. You'd have to manually cancel from the Scheduled folder.
Remember the 100-email limit. If you're hitting this limit, you probably need a CRM or email marketing tool, not Gmail's scheduler.

Gmail Schedule Send vs. Other Email Clients

Feature	Gmail (Web)	Outlook	Apple Mail	ChainMail
Schedule send	Yes	Yes	Yes (macOS 13+)	Via Gmail API
Recurring emails	No	No (native)	No	No
Edit without canceling	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Keyboard shortcut	No	Alt+S then delay	No	Customizable
Time zone awareness	No	No	No	No
Scheduled email limit	100	No limit	No limit	Gmail API limit

FAQ

Does Gmail schedule send work when my computer is off?

Yes. Gmail's servers handle the actual sending. Once you schedule an email, it sends at the specified time regardless of whether your device is on, off, or offline. You just need to be online when you initially schedule it.

Can I schedule emails in Google Workspace (business Gmail)?

Yes. Schedule send works the same way in Google Workspace accounts as in free Gmail. There are no additional admin controls or restrictions specific to scheduling.

What happens if I schedule an email and then lose internet?

If you were online when you clicked "Schedule send," the email is already queued on Gmail's servers. It will send on time. If you lost internet before clicking Schedule send, the action won't complete — check your Drafts folder when you're back online.

Can I schedule a reply or a forwarded email?

Yes. The Schedule send option appears in all compose windows — new emails, replies, and forwards. The same dropdown arrow next to Send is available in every case.

Is there a way to set a default send delay in Gmail?

No. Gmail doesn't have a "send delay" or "undo send" timer that works like a schedule. The Undo Send feature gives you 5-30 seconds to cancel, but it's not the same as scheduling. Each scheduled email must be set individually.