Save or don't save drafts of unsent messages

Microsoft Outlook automatically attempts to save any email message every three minutes that you create but don't send. In addition, you can save a draft at any time and are prompted to save messages that you attempt to close without sending.

What do you want to do?

Save a draft of a message that you want to finish later

Open a message that you previously created and saved, but never sent

Turn on or off automatic saving of unsent messages

Change automatic message saving interval

Save a draft of a message that you want to finish later

To save a draft of a message, click the File tab, and then click Save.

Open a message that you previously created and saved, but never sent

In Mail, in the folder pane, click Drafts, and then double-click the message.

Tip:  To delete any draft, click the message, and press Delete.

Turn on or off automatic saving of unsent messages

1. On the File tab, click Options..

2. In the left pane, click Mail.

3. Under Save messages, check or clear the Automatically save items that have not been sent after this many minutes box.

Change automatic message saving interval

1. On the File tab, click Options.

2. In the left pane, click Mail.

3. Under Save messages, in the Automatically save items that have not been sent after this many minutes box enter a number between 1 and 99.