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Fix messages that are stuck in the Outbox

Fix messages that are stuck in the Outbox

Owned by Thuc Phung
Last updated: Jul 01, 2025 by Roger Merrill

Applies To: Outlook 2016



When a message gets stuck in your Outbox, the most likely cause is a large attachment.

  1. Choose Send/Receive > Work Offline. 

  2. In the NavigationPane, choose Outbox.

  3. From here, you can:

    • Delete the message. Just select it and press Delete.

    • Drag the message to your drafts folder, double-click to open the message, delete the attachment (click it and press Delete).

  4. If an error tells you Outlook is trying to transmit the message, close Outlook. It may take a few moments to exit.

  5. After Outlook closes, start it again and repeat steps 2-3.

  6. After you remove the attachment, choose Send/Receive > Work Offline to deselect the button and resume working online.