- Home
- Microsoft Outlook
- Errors and problems
- Emails stuck in Outbox
Common problemMicrosoft OutlookOutlook for Windows
Outlook emails stuck in the Outbox
Usually a large attachment or offline mode
A message sits in the Outbox and never sends. Microsoft says the most likely cause is a large attachment, or that you pressed Send while Outlook was working offline.
How to fix it
On the Send/Receive tab, click Work Offline.
Open the Outbox and delete the stuck message, or move it to Drafts and remove the attachment.
If Outlook says it is still sending, close Outlook, ending outlook.exe in Task Manager if needed.
Restart Outlook and repeat the Outbox step if the message is still there.
Click Work Offline again to go back online, then click Send All.
From Microsoft Outlook's help pages: support.microsoft.com, in our words. Checked on 5 November 2026. If the steps do not help, Microsoft Outlook's own support is the next stop.
More Microsoft Outlook errors and common problems
- Can't sign inPassword, username or account access problems
- Emails not arrivingFull storage, rules, filters or Junk folder
- Outlook not respondingHangs on Processing, freezes or stops working
- Keeps asking for passwordPassword changed or expired with your provider
- Trying to connect…Outlook can't reach the mail server
- You've tried to sign in too many timesSign-in blocked after repeated wrong passwords
All Microsoft Outlook errors and common problemsLive Microsoft Outlook status