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How to delete an "in-transit" email?

4 years ago

Using Windows 10 with Outlook of Microsoft Office 2013... I clicked 'send' on an email that has a large 67MB size before knowing it was so large. It has been trying to send it (says "sending 1 of 1" at the bottom of the Outbox Window)) for a few days but I typically click exit and get out of Outlook.

I no longer want to send it but, if I select the email in the Outbox Folder and click 'delete', it is not deleted or cancelled.

How do I stop the sending process and finally delete it? TIA, Luis

Featured Answer

HU-178658043

4 years ago

I did the same (in Window 95) and, after two days, got an error message that gave me the option to cancel the 'send'. E-mail was locked up until then.

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Comments (8)

User
4 years ago
Go into Task Manager and turn off Outlook. Then open Outlook again and see if it's stopped sending. It should. If so...delete the email. I think this may work but I have to say I've never had to do it for the situation that you're experiencing. Good luck!
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luis_pr
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Sorry Winter, I think you misunderstood the problem. Exiting Outlook does not require going to the Task Manager to shut anything off as Outlook exits with no problems (just a warning that something is currently being sent) and does not leave any components active trying to send. If you do go to the Task Manager after closing Outlook, Outlook is never listed. As soon as you restart Outlook, it tries or continues to send the email and you see the message "Sending Message 1 of 1"".
dadoes
4 years ago
Can Outlook be set to (or started in) offline mode? which should prevent it from actively sending/receiving and perhaps the offending message can then be deleted from the Outbox folder (and Trash/Deleted).
User
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Sorry Luis. At one time...and not in the too distant past, Outlook was listed as a process in the Task Manager. Apparently, MS, in its infinite wisdom, decided to remove it. However...I did a little research on your behalf and came up with the following site. A brief scan of it seems to indicate that you can take care of your problem in Outlook, itself. Have a look and see this'll solve your problem.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/use-tasks-in-outlook-com-6e8a991b-ea62-4009-a7f7-62b70a57ec18
luis_pr
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
dadoes, I am not sure unless I unplug the Internet connection before starting Outlook. May be worth trying.

Winter, will check the link.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to y'all.
dadoes
4 years ago
Start Outlook in Offline Mode

May or may not be doable depending on the version. I've never used Outlook. Mozilla Thunderbird has been my email software of choice for many years.
luis_pr
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Update: problem resolved. I clicked on Send/Receive Tab; clicked to Work Offline; successfully deleted the email from the Outbox Folder; got out of Outlook; Rebooted; Went back into Outlook; Clicked Send/Receive Tab; clicked to Work Online and it updated what was in the Inbox Folder.

Note: I could delete the Outbox email immediately after going offline. I had to reboot to do that. Apparently it was somehow "locked" or ”allocated” by Outlook.

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