EMAIL GLOSSARY

What is a queued email?

Queued emails are emails that are waiting to be sent by the server. What does it mean when an email is queued? Generally, queued emails can’t be sent immediately – whether because of a connectivity issue or because of an issue with the email provider.

What is a Queued Email?

A queued email is simply an email that has been written, is waiting in your outbox, but has not yet been sent. There can be many reasons why the email won’t have been sent, such as a poor internet connection or an issue with the email server. Once these problems have been fixed, the email will send.

Why Are My Emails Stuck in the Queue?

There are several reasons why your emails might be stuck in the queue. These include:

  • Weak Internet Connection: Your email app or browser cannot communicate with the email server without a stable connection.
  • Server Issues: Your email provider’s servers may be down.
  • Offline Mode: You might have enabled offline mode in your email app.
  • Oversized Attachments: Email providers recommend keeping attachments under their specified size limits (e.g., Gmail suggests under 25MB). Check out this guide to learn more about Gmail attachment size limits.
  • Daily Sending Limits Reached: Most email providers impose daily sending limits. For example, Gmail allows up to 500 emails per day for free accounts, while Google Workspace and Outlook have different limits.
  • Outdated Email App or Browser: An outdated app or browser can cause syncing or sending issues.
  • Full Device Storage: Insufficient storage space on your device can prevent email apps from functioning correctly.
  • Incorrect Device Date and Time: Some email systems rely on the correct device date and time to sync properly.
  • Cache Build-Up: A cluttered cache in your app or browser can interrupt email functionality.

How to Fix Queued Emails

Fixing emails stuck in the queue is usually straightforward. Follow these steps to resolve the issue:

  1. Check Your Internet Connection: Ensure you are connected to a stable network.
  2. Disable Offline Mode: Go to your email app settings and turn off offline mode if it’s enabled.
  3. Check Email Provider Status:
  4. Reduce Attachment Size: Ensure attachments are under the provider’s size limit. If your file is too large (over 25MB):
    • Use a cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox.
    • Compress the file into a smaller format.
    • Split the file into multiple emails.
  5. Verify Device Date and Time: Go to your device’s settings and ensure the date and time are accurate.
  6. Update Your Email App or Browser: On mobile, update the email app through the app store. For desktop, ensure your browser is up to date.
  7. Free Up Storage: Delete unnecessary files and apps to create space.
  8. Clear Cache:
    • On Android: Settings > Apps > Email App > Storage > Clear Cache.
    • On Desktop: Clear the browser cache through your browser’s settings.

If none of these steps work, consider restarting your device and trying again. For further troubleshooting steps, check out this guide on how to fix emails queued in Gmail.

Still Having Trouble?

For mobile users, persistent issues often arise due to specific app settings or bugs. Here are the 3 most common fixes:

  1. Check Gmail Sync Settings: Ensure syncing is enabled.
  2. Adjust App Permissions: Verify that Gmail has permission to access storage, notifications, and more.
  3. Clear Cache and Restart: Follow the steps outlined above.

For a detailed visual guide, check out this video tutorial:

Sending a Large Volume of Emails?

Email providers set daily sending limits to prevent spam, which can result in emails being queued if you exceed them:

  • Gmail: Up to 500 emails per day for free accounts.
  • Google Workspace: Limits depend on the account type. With a business account, you can send up to 2,000 emails per day.
  • Outlook: Reports suggest free accounts are limited to 300 emails per day, while paid Microsoft 365 accounts can send up to 5,000 daily recipients. Check out our guide to learn more about Outlook sending limits.

If you frequently exceed these limits, your emails may be delayed, queued, or worse—flagged as spam. Repeated violations can hurt your sender reputation and permanently affect your email deliverability, which is a big problem if you rely on email for campaigns or important communication.

The good news? You can avoid all of this with Mailmeteor, trusted by over 7 million users. Mailmeteor’s autopilot feature allows you to drip-send emails over several days, spacing them out by minutes to simulate natural, human-like sending behavior. This helps you stay within limits and maintain your sender reputation.

FAQs

How Long Does It Take for a Queued Email to Send?

Most queued emails send automatically once the issue is resolved. For instance:

  • If the issue is a weak internet connection, the email will send as soon as you reconnect.
  • If the problem is a daily sending limit, you’ll need to wait until the limit resets (e.g., after 24 hours).

If I delete a queued email, will it still be sent?

No, deleting a queued email removes it from your outbox. However, you can check your Bin folder to restore it if needed. Gmail, for example, retains deleted emails in the Bin for 30 days.

Will a queued email eventually send?

Yes, in most cases. However, this depends on resolving the underlying issue, such as connectivity problems or server outages.

Why are my emails going to the outbox and not sending?

This is often due to poor internet connectivity, email provider restrictions, or attachment size limits. Refer to the troubleshooting steps above.

How do I send an email stuck in my outbox?

Once you fix the issue (e.g., restore your internet connection or reduce attachment size), the email should send automatically. If not, try resending it manually.

What are the attachment size limits for email providers?

Email providers recommend keeping attachments under their size limits. For Gmail, this is 25MB. For larger files, consider using a cloud service.

What are the daily sending limits for email providers?**

Most providers impose daily sending limits to prevent spam. For example:

  • Gmail: 500 emails per day for free accounts.
  • Google Workspace: Up to 2,000 emails per day, depending on account type.
  • Outlook: Limits vary by subscription type.

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