Save a Draft Email in Outlook – Instructions

Save a Draft Email in Outlook: Video

            This video lesson, titled “Using the Drafts Folder,” shows you how to save a draft email in Outlook. This video lesson is from our complete Outlook tutorial, titled “Mastering Outlook Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”

Overview of Saving Draft Emails in Outlook

            You can save a draft email in Outlook into the Drafts folder. The Drafts folder in Outlook is the mail folder to which you save composed but unsent emails. Like the “Outbox” folder, it is a temporary storage space for email. If you start creating a new email in Outlook and click the “Save” button in the Quick Access Toolbar, a copy of the email up to that point is then saved into the “Drafts” folder. This is useful if you must abandon creating a lengthy email after starting it.

            To save a draft email in Outlook after you start composing it, click the “Save” button in the Quick Access toolbar of the “Message” window. Alternatively, click the “File” tab in the Ribbon of the “Message” window. Then click the “Save” command. The message then appears within the Drafts folder of the Folder pane in Outlook.

A picture of a user saving a draft email in Outlook.

            To view the contents of the Drafts folder in Outlook, click the “Mail” icon in the Navigation Bar, if needed. Then click the “Drafts” folder in the Folder Pane. Your saved email drafts then appear to the right.

            To continue composing a saved email in this folder, double-click any of these draft emails to reopen them within their “Message” window. When you are ready to send it, just click the “Send” button in the “Message” window.

            Alternatively, to delete a draft email in the Drafts folder in Outlook, click it to select it. Then press either the “Del” or “Delete” key on your keyboard or click the “Delete” button in the “Delete” button group on the “Home” tab of the Ribbon. Doing either action then sends it to the “Deleted Items” folder.

Instructions on How to Save a Draft Email in Outlook

1. To save an email to the “Drafts” folder in Outlook while composing it, click the “Save” button in the Quick Access toolbar of the “Message” window.
2. Alternatively, click the “File” tab in the Ribbon of the “Message” window and then click the “Save” command.
3. The message then appears within the Drafts folder in the Folder pane.
4. To view the contents of the Drafts folder in Outlook, click the “Mail” icon in the Navigation Bar, if needed.
5. Then click the “Drafts” folder in the Folder Pane.
6. Your saved email drafts then appear to the right.
7. To continue composing a saved draft email in this folder, double-click any of these draft emails to reopen them within their “Message” window.
8. To then send it, click the “Send” button in the “Message” window.
9. Alternatively, to delete a draft email in the Drafts folder in Outlook, click it to select it.
10. Then press either the “Del” or “Delete” key on your keyboard or click the “Delete” button in the “Delete” button group on the “Home” tab of the Ribbon.
11. Doing either action then sends it to the “Deleted Items” folder.