Send later and the Outbox
Write a mail now and have it leave later, up to 30 days ahead. It is encrypted on your device at once; the server only learns when to send it.
Send later holds a finished mail until a time you choose. The mail is encrypted on your device the moment you schedule it — the server stores the same ciphertext it would have stored anyway, plus the time to send it.
| Free | Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Send later | — | Up to 30 days ahead |
Thirty days is the furthest ahead a mail can wait on any plan.
Schedule a mail
- Write the mail as usual.
- Press the chevron beside Send.
- Choose Send later.
- Pick Tomorrow morning, Monday morning, or Pick a date and time for anything else.
- The composer closes and a Scheduled toast confirms it.
The two presets are both 08:00 in your device's own time zone — the next calendar day, and the next Monday. Under the choices the sheet states the rule: "Up to 30 days ahead. Encrypted now, on this device; the server only knows when."
If you pick a moment that has already gone, the sheet answers "That time has already passed. Pick a later one." Beyond thirty days it answers "That is further ahead than a mail can wait."
The Outbox
A waiting mail lives in the Outbox folder in the mail drawer, with a count beside it — "2 waiting". Each row says when it goes:
Sends Fri 16 Oct, 09:30 · in 5 days
With nothing waiting the folder reads "Nothing waiting to be sent" and, underneath, "A waiting mail is already encrypted. Open it to change it; it is sent with the change."
Change, send now, or cancel
Open a waiting mail and a hint bar at the top repeats the time: "Sends Friday 16 October at 09:30 — in 5 days. You can still open, change or cancel it until then." Two controls sit with it:
- Send now — sends it immediately, with whatever it says at that moment
- Cancel — stops the schedule and puts the mail back in Drafts, unchanged
Editing a waiting mail is the same as editing any mail: the version you leave behind is the version that goes.
Undo send holds every mail for a few seconds so you can take it back (see Undo send). Send later is a deliberate date and time, days or weeks out, and only for the mail you choose. The two do not interfere: a scheduled mail is not in the undo window, and an ordinary send is not in the Outbox.
Send later works the same on a phone — the chevron sits beside Send in the composer's bar, and Outbox is in the drawer with the other folders.
On a Free account
The chevron beside Send is there and the sheet opens; it is never greyed, marked or hidden. Choosing a time opens the Plus window instead of scheduling. Nothing you have is affected either way.
Cannot see
- What it says — it was encrypted on your device before it was stored
Can see
- That a mail is waiting, and the minute it is due to be sent
- Who it is addressed to, as with any mail
Does my device have to be on when the mail is sent?
No. The mail is already encrypted and stored on the server; it goes at the time you set whether your device is awake or not.
How far ahead can I schedule?
Up to 30 days. That ceiling is the same on every plan.
Can I change a waiting mail?
Yes. Open it from the Outbox and edit it; the edited version is what goes. You can also press Send now, or Cancel to move it back to Drafts.
Does a waiting mail show in Sent?
No. It is in the Outbox until it goes, then in Sent like any other mail.
What happens if I cancel?
The schedule is dropped and the mail returns to Drafts, unchanged. Nothing is sent.
Can I schedule a chat message?
No. Send later is for mail.