Reminders attached to Emails

Question

how do i add a reminder to an email in outlook prior to sending?

Answer 1

Dear @Nancy Adams,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum.

I understand that you would like to add a reminder to an email in the new Outlook before sending it. Based on current functionality, this feature works differently in the new Outlook compared to classic Outlook. In the new Outlook (web-based architecture), it is not currently possible to set a reminder before sending the email. Instead, you must first send the email and then navigate to your Sent Items folder to add a reminder.

If setting a reminder before sending is essential for your workflow, I recommend switching back to Classic Outlook by toggling off the “New Outlook” button in the top-right corner of the application.

In Classic Outlook, you can set reminders for both yourself and the recipient before the email leaves your Outbox by following these steps:

1. Start a New Email.
2. On the Message tab, in the Tags group, click Follow Up.
3. Select Add Reminder.
4. A Custom dialog box will appear:
   • Flag for Me: Check this to set a reminder that will pop up on your computer.
   • Flag for Recipients: Check this to send a reminder that will trigger for the person receiving the email (if they also use Outlook).
5. Set your desired date and time, then click OK.

 

If this is a feature you would like to see added to the new Outlook, I suggest keeping an eye on the Microsoft Outlook (New) blog or the Microsoft 365 Roadmap | Microsoft 365 for any updates on this feature. In the meantime, I apologize for the inconvenience this may cause. I also strongly recommend that you share your detailed experience and feedback directly with the Microsoft product team through their official channels. This is the most effective way to make your voice heard and influence future feature improvements and adjustments.  You can visit the Outlook (new) · Community to submit a new idea or vote on existing one. Our product team is in charge of this site, and they constantly check customer reviews and feedback. The higher the number of votes, the more attention the team will pay to it. Many features are developed and improved based on customer feedback. As a moderator, I will also pass along your feedback to the appropriate team for further consideration. While we don't directly influence product design, user feedback is actively reviewed and helps prioritize future development. If you’re unable to submit feedback yourself, please feel free to reach out to me, and I’ll be happy to submit it on your behalf. 

I want you to know that I wish I had a way to change it for you directly but as a moderator of Q&A forum, my ability to assist is with the existing product functionality and the power to influence its design rests entirely with our product development team. I appreciate your kindness and understanding as we deal with these evolutionary product changes. Please get in touch if you need anything else. Have a wonderful day.

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Answer 2

To add a reminder to an email in Outlook prior to sending, you can utilize the Smart Alerts feature in an event-based add-in. This feature automatically checks for attachments before a message is sent, ensuring that you don't forget to include important documents or files. However, there isn't a direct way to set a reminder specifically for the email itself before sending it. You would typically need to rely on external reminders or calendar events to remind you to send emails at a later time.

If you are developing an add-in, you can implement the OnMessageSend event to trigger checks or alerts before sending the email, which can help remind you of necessary actions related to the email content.