Gmail is one of the best email apps, as long as you change some key settings. Still, it has problems. Outgoing emails are temporarily stored in your Gmail account’s Outbox folder before they’re sent. After an email is sent, it moves to the sent folder. However, an email stuck in your Outbox folder won’t reach the intended recipient, even if you tap Send. More troublesome is that you may not realize the email is stuck, leading to time-sensitive emails going unread.
This guide explains why emails get stuck in your outbox folder and shows how to send them. This problem can occur on desktop and mobile computers, so we show you steps to fix the problem on Android and iOS devices, desktop computers, and Chromebooks, including laptops most useful for school.
Check you aren’t using offline mode in Gmail for web browsers
Gmail on web browsers does not have a dedicated Outbox folder unless you activate Offline Mail. Offline Mode lets you read, write, respond to, and search your Gmail messages with an email connection. It’s a handy tool for checking and writing emails in an area without an active internet connection. If you send a message offline, it’s stored in a temporary Outbox folder until Offline Mode is turned off. Here’s how to turn Offline mode on and off in Gmail.
- Open Gmail on any desktop web browser.
- Click the Settings button (cog icon).
- Click See all settings from the Quick settings sidebar.
- Click the Offline tab.
- Select or deselect the Enable offline mail checkbox.
- Click Save Changes.
Gmail refreshes after you click Save Changes. If you turn off Offline Mail, Gmail immediately sends all the emails temporarily stored in the Outbox folder.
If you send an email from Gmail for web browsers without an active internet connection but didn’t activate Offline Mail, Gmail saves it in your Drafts folder. However, this draft is deleted if you close your web browser before a connection is restored. If you suddenly lose an internet connection, turn on Offline Mail to continue writing your emails.
If you have an active internet connection, but Gmail doesn’t send your email, you can safely save your email in your Drafts folder until the problem is resolved.
Check your internet connection
If you send an email from any device without an active internet connection, it is stored in your Outbox folder until a stable connection is restored. Even if your device shows an internet connection, a slow or intermittent connection (such as a weak 4G signal in a crowded area) can prevent Gmail from sending emails.
Check your internet connection by launching any web browser. If you can successfully open a website, the cause of your stuck email is likely a problem with the Gmail app.
An intermittent internet connection can prevent your Gmail account from syncing across devices. If you switch to a working device to send your email, delete the email stuck in the outbox on your original device. Your email may be sent twice if you don’t do this.
If you’re on an Android or iOS device, reset your network settings to restore your internet connection. This is the best solution if your device cannot connect to Wi-Fi or a mobile network in a situation where you normally can.
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Unexpected network glitches bugging you out?
Refresh your Outbox folder
If you have an active internet connection but your emails are still stuck in your Outbox folder, you may need to refresh your Outbox folder. Gmail typically sends emails when an active internet connection is restored, but they can still get stuck. Here’s how to manually send emails from your Outbox folder on mobile.
Use the Android or iOS app to refresh the folder
- Tap the hamburger button (three lines) in the upper-left corner of your screen.
- Scroll down and tap Outbox.
- Tap Retry on the black window with the “No connection” message at the bottom of your screen.
If the email does not disappear from your Outbox after tapping Retry, and you have an active internet connection, your next step is to troubleshoot the app.
When your pending emails are sent, your Outbox
folder shows the message
Nothing in Outbox
,
and the sent email appears in your Sent
folder.
Check if your Google One storage has free space
Every Google Account comes with 15GB of free storage, which is shared across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. If you reach this limit, you can’t use any services that store data, including sending emails from Gmail.
If you send an email from Gmail when you don’t have any Google One storage space left, your message isn’t sent until you upgrade to a plan with more storage capacity or free up storage in Gmail.
When you have free storage, your pending emails are sent. We recommend keeping an eye on your Google One storage, as you can’t receive emails if your storage is full.
Clear your Gmail app’s cache on mobile
Cached files usually don’t cause a problem. Instead, they improve performance by saving files locally that would otherwise have to be downloaded from the internet every time you use the app. If these files are corrupted, you may encounter problems like stuck emails in your Gmail outbox. Clearing your cache doesn’t delete files that are necessary to run the app. Here’s how to do it:
- Tap and hold on the Gmail app icon on your phone.
- Tap the (i) button in the upper-left corner of the pop-up window.
- Tap Storage & cache.
- Tap Clear cache.
Send your emails without problems
Stuck emails are frustrating, so use these tips to help your emails reach the intended recipients. If none of these tips fix your problem, try these solutions to common Gmail problems.
