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Delete Messages Stuck in Outlook for Mac Outbox

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› Outlook › Mac › Delete Messages Stuck in Outlook for Mac Outbox

Last reviewed on June 8, 2021     39 Comments

Applies to: Outlook 2016 (Mac)

This content applies to older versions of the software and may no longer be relevant.

This content has been archived. It may no longer be relevant.

If you are using Outlook for Mac, use the following methods to delete messages stuck in your Outbox.

Windows users, see Delete a message stuck in Outlook's Outbox

When the message is stuck because it has a large attachment, the Outbox should be visible in the folder list.

  1. Right click on message in Outbox, choose Open Message
  2. Remove the attachment
  3. Press Send

This will re-send the message without the over-sized attachment. If you don't want to send the message, delete it from the outbox instead of removing the attachment.

If the Outbox is not visible, and you use Outlook 2016 for Mac, start a Send and Receive then:

  1. Open the Sync Status dialog (1)
  2. Either click the Stop Sync button (2) in the lower left or the little x at the right of the entry to stop the send and receive.
  3. Once you stop the send and receive, the Outbox will be visible (3) in the folder list.

stop syncing Outlook 2016 for Mac

If you use Outlook 2011 and don't want to send the message or its stuck for other reason:

  1. Close Outlook 2011
  2. Hold the Shift key down while reopening Outlook.
  3. Go to Outbox and delete the stuck message.

If the Outbox is not visible, initiate a send and receive and open the Progress dialog. Either click the Stop Sync button in the lower left or the little x at the right of the entry to stop the send and receive. The Outbox should now be visible in message list and you can remove the attachments or delete the message.

Outlook 2011's progress dialog

More Information

Email is stuck in the Outbox in Outlook for Mac 2011 (MSKB)

Delete Messages Stuck in Outlook for Mac Outbox was last modified: June 8th, 2021 by Diane Poremsky

Related Posts:

  • Delete large messages stuck in the Outbox
  • How to Delete Stuck Read Receipts
  • Messages are stuck in the Outbox
  • After viewing the Outbox, messages won't send

About Diane Poremsky

A Microsoft Outlook Most Valuable Professional (MVP) since 1999, Diane is the author of several books, including Outlook 2013 Absolute Beginners Book. She also created video training CDs and online training classes for Microsoft Outlook. You can find her helping people online in Outlook Forums as well as in the Microsoft Answers and TechNet forums.

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Noam Doron
October 14, 2016 9:08 am

Hi.
I tried all of the above, working offline , opening the progress box and nothing is there andthe comment keeps on popping up.Any idea to solve the issue?
Thank you.

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Julie
July 18, 2016 7:39 pm

Yay! Worked it out. Shut outlook down. When reopening it, hold shift button down and click on Outlook icon twice. Suddenly, there is my Outbox near bottom left hand side above Mail, Calendar, Contacts etc. I was then able to delete my stuck messages

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SR
November 22, 2015 4:28 pm

I have tried to send an email with a list of addresses in the BCC line. Obviously, one of them was not valid so Outlook for MAC 2011 gave me an error message. However, now I cannot see the message anymore and no interrupting during sending or shift and restart will make it reappear. Clueless what else to try. Anybody out there who knows?
S

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Amy
August 11, 2015 5:17 pm

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I've been trying to fix this issue for days, but couldn't locate my outbox. So glad you had better directions then everyone else.

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livia
June 13, 2015 9:12 am

thanks - i was looking to keep visibility to the outbox - which doesn't sound doable. at least i learned that from this - thank you

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Lorelle Rousso
April 30, 2015 1:57 am

Lorelle Rousso
Thank you so much for this information

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Sam
April 14, 2015 11:10 pm

I accidentally tried to send an email through Outlook to my gmail address a few days ago with a very large attachment (100+ MB). As soon as I realized how large the file was, I tried to stop the send from the outbox while it was showing but it disappeared. Now, I can't find the message anywhere but my Outlook is SLOW! I keep getting the spinning circle with every few characters that I type. I have tried all of the suggested steps above but the email is nowhere to be found. Any other suggestions?

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Diane Poremsky
Author
Reply to  Sam
April 15, 2015 12:40 am

Unfortunately, no, I don't have any other suggestions. Test machine with Outlook 2011 isn't working so I can't try the steps to see what might be wrong. :(

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Ted
Reply to  Sam
May 28, 2015 11:19 am

I'm having the exact same issue. I can't "X" out on the sending item in the Progress Folder. Let me know if you have any answers!

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Diane Poremsky
Author
Reply to  Ted
May 28, 2015 11:25 am

This is with the older (original) outlook client that came with Office 2011 or the newer Outlook client (with the blue icon)?

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blackbirdpi
Reply to  Sam
August 17, 2015 2:57 am

Oh i have the same thing! I have 1 outbox message - managed to delete the pic (that was too big) but cannot get rid of this stupid message! It says it is partially downloaded, but i try to delete - won't delete. try to send, get a colour wheel of death! every now and then outlook just crashes completely and i get a error message (send report or not)
I am ready to cry - this is my work email (and it can't fix it)

Please can you help me?

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Diane Poremsky
Author
Reply to  blackbirdpi
August 17, 2015 1:31 pm

If you disconnect from the internet and wait a bit, can you delete it?

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michael
December 15, 2014 4:07 am

It's odd, my messages are being send, however after they are sent and the process, they are sent to the Oubox and they stay there (after the fact that they've been sent) can't seem to make the stupid folder go way!

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Diane Poremsky
Reply to  michael
December 15, 2014 11:03 am

What type of email account are you using? (POP3, IMAP, Exchange)
Are you using the Outlook 2011 update that was released a few weeks ago?

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