Outlook or Microsoft 365 Down? How to Keep Business Email Running With a Backup Mailbox

When Outlook will not open and Teams will not load, the first job is to work out whether the problem is on your computer or at Microsoft. The second is to keep the business talking to customers while mail is delayed. The third, once things are calm again, is to make sure one provider going down cannot stop you completely next time.

This guide was written during the global Microsoft 365 outage that began on Thursday, November 12, 2026. As of about 8 a.m. Eastern on Friday, November 13, Microsoft had not declared the incident over. Its public service health page still listed a service degradation, saying users may be unable to connect to multiple Microsoft 365 services. The rest of this guide covers how to confirm an outage, what to do right now, and how to set up a backup mailbox and a simple fallback plan for the next incident. It is a how-to, not a post-mortem of Microsoft's systems.

Quick answer

Check Microsoft's official status page at status.cloud.microsoft and the @MSFT365Status account before you assume the fault is yours. If Microsoft is down, use the phone or another channel for anything urgent, try Outlook on the web, the desktop app and mobile once each, and do not keep resending the same message. Microsoft said it is working through email queues and has extended the delivery timeout to 48 hours so delayed mail can still get through. For next time, keep an independent backup mailbox, an exported contact list, and a short written fallback plan.

At a glance

Question	What to do
Is it really an outage?	Check status.cloud.microsoft, the Microsoft 365 admin center (if you have access), @MSFT365Status, then a tracker such as Downdetector.
What if only my PC is failing?	Try another network, another device, and Outlook on the web. If those work, the problem is local.
Urgent messages right now	Use the phone, SMS, or another chat tool. Tell people your Microsoft mailbox may be delayed.
Should I resend mail?	No. Queued messages may still be delivered. Resending often creates duplicates once service returns.
Best next-time fix	A mailbox at an independent provider, a current contact export, and a one-page fallback plan.

What this outage looked like

On Thursday, November 12, 2026, shortly before 1 p.m. Eastern, users began reporting that they could not reach Microsoft 365 services including Outlook, Teams, Copilot and OneDrive. CNBC and The Verge both put the start around that time. Microsoft later said a number of servers had become "unexpectedly unavailable," which put extra load on the systems that were still running, and that there was no evidence of malicious activity. Those updates were carried by the BBC, CNBC and The Verge.

As of about 8 a.m. Eastern on Friday, recovery was under way but incomplete. Around 6 a.m. ET, Microsoft said recovery actions had been completed across portions of its Asia Pacific infrastructure, with improvements in mailbox access and delayed email processing, the BBC and NBC News reported. In an update around 7 a.m. ET, carried by the BBC, CNBC and NBC News, the company said it was seeing "encouraging recovery progress in Europe," that North America was "improving," and that Japan remained "comparatively more stable," while some users might still see intermittent issues. Windows Central, quoting a Microsoft 365 Status update that morning, said the extended 48-hour email timeout window remained in place to help protect delayed messages. That is why the "do not keep resending" advice below matters. The Verge noted there was still no time given for a full restoration.

You do not need every detail of this incident to follow the rest of the guide. The same checks and fallback steps apply the next time Outlook or Microsoft 365 is unavailable, whether the cause is a global outage or a problem in your own tenant.

1. Check whether it is really an outage

Start with official sources, then use a public tracker as a second opinion. A status page can lag, and a tracker can spike on rumors, so use both.

1. Open Microsoft's public service health page: go to status.cloud.microsoft. This is the page Microsoft has been pointing people to when the admin center itself is hard to reach. Look for a service degradation or incident covering Exchange Online, Outlook, Teams or Microsoft 365.
2. If you are a Microsoft 365 admin, also open the Service health section of the Microsoft 365 admin center. During this incident Microsoft directed admins to issue MO1550821 (and earlier to EX1550543 for Exchange Online mailbox access).
3. Read the official status account: @MSFT365Status on X. Microsoft has been posting incident updates there throughout this outage, including the 48-hour mail timeout and regional recovery notes.
4. Cross-check a public tracker: Downdetector's Outlook page (and the Microsoft 365 or Teams pages, if you use those apps) shows whether user reports have jumped. The BBC reported that Outlook reports peaked at nearly 140,000 around 18:00 GMT (1 p.m. Eastern) on Thursday, from 74 countries. Treat those figures as a snapshot of reports, not a count of everyone affected. Downdetector also warns that scammers sometimes post fake support numbers in the comments. Do not call a number you find there.
5. Rule out a local problem: try another network (Wi-Fi to mobile data, or the other way round), another device, and a different browser. If Outlook works on your phone but not on one PC, the outage is probably not the whole story.

2. What to do right now

If official status confirms a Microsoft problem, stop chasing settings on your own machine and switch to a short, calm checklist.

Use another channel for anything urgent

Call, text, or use a chat tool that does not run on Microsoft 365. Schools, police forces and other organizations in the UK were already asking the public to phone rather than email during this outage, the BBC reported. Tell your own customers and colleagues the same thing: if the matter is time-sensitive, do not wait for Outlook to come back.

If you have a second email address that does not sit on Microsoft 365, use that for urgent correspondence and say so in the message, so people know why it is coming from a different address.

Try Outlook on the web, the desktop app, and mobile once each

During this incident Microsoft warned that people might be unable to connect to Outlook on the web or on the desktop, and to other services that depend on email. CNBC, in a Friday morning update, said that warning was still in place even as recovery improved in some regions. Trying each path once is still worthwhile, because an outage is often uneven:

• Outlook on the web (sign in by typing the usual address yourself, such as outlook.office.com or your organization's sign-in page). If the web app loads, you can work from a browser even when the desktop app is stuck.
• Outlook for Windows or Mac. If you use Cached Exchange Mode, the desktop app may still show mail it already downloaded, even when it cannot reach the server. That can be enough to look up a phone number or a recent thread. New messages will not arrive, and anything you send may sit in the Outbox until the service recovers.
• The Outlook mobile app, or mail on your phone. Some people get a different result on cellular data than on office Wi-Fi.

If none of them work, do not spend the morning reinstalling the app or resetting your password. That will not bring Microsoft's servers back, and a password reset can lock you out of other devices once service returns.

Do not keep resending

If a message is sitting in the Outbox or you are not sure it left, leave it there. Microsoft said it was prioritizing the reduction of email queues and backlogs, and that it had extended the email timeout to 48 hours "to help protect delayed messages as delivery catches up." In plain terms: mail that was accepted or queued during the outage should keep trying for up to two days. Hitting Send again usually means the same message arrives twice when the queues clear.

If something is still missing after that window, then ask the sender to try again, or resend once.

Watch for phishing

Outages are a common moment for fake "restore your mailbox" or "re-authenticate now" messages. Microsoft does not need you to click a link in an unexpected email to bring Exchange Online back. Use the official status page and sign-in addresses you already know. Do not call support numbers from Downdetector comments or from ads that appear while you search for the outage.

3. Set up resilience for next time

The painful part of a long outage is rarely the missing inbox itself. It is not having another way to reach customers, a solicitor, a school, or a supplier. You can fix that without abandoning Microsoft 365, if that is still the system your team lives in.

Keep a backup mailbox on an independent provider

The simplest fallback is a second mailbox that does not run on Microsoft's infrastructure. It can be a published backup address (for example, a different domain, or a clearly labeled backup contact on your website and email signatures), or a mailbox your staff can send from when Outlook is down. The important part is independence: if the backup sits inside the same Microsoft 365 tenant, it will go down with the rest.

One independent option is Thexyz, a business email host based in Canada. Mailboxes are on your own domain, plans start at $2.95 a month for 10 GB, and the service is built to work with Outlook, Apple Mail and Gmail apps, according to Thexyz's email hosting page. A fully managed migration from providers including Microsoft 365 is included, and Thexyz says the copy can run in the background before you change any DNS. There is a 5-day money-back guarantee rather than a free trial, and no long contract, according to its provider comparison page. You can also use another independent host. The point is to have a working mailbox that is not on the same platform as your primary mail.

Do not try to "fail over" your whole company domain to a new provider in the middle of an outage unless you already have that plan rehearsed. Changing MX records under pressure can split delivery, and the change can take hours to spread across the internet.

What a backup MX record is (and what it is not)

Email routing is controlled by MX records in your domain's DNS. Each MX record has a priority number. Sending servers try the lowest number first (the primary). If that server cannot be reached, they should try the next one. A backup MX is a second mail server, usually at a different provider, that can accept mail for your domain when the primary is down, hold it, and pass it on when the primary returns.

That idea is sound, but it is easy to get wrong:

• Microsoft 365 generally expects to be the primary mail exchanger for a domain that uses Exchange Online. Adding a backup MX in front of or beside Microsoft 365 is a specialized setup, not a simple toggle. A bad configuration can delay mail, confuse spam filters, or cause some messages to be rejected.
• Not every sending server fails over to a backup MX cleanly, so it is not a guarantee that every message will be accepted during an outage.
• Changing MX records during a live incident is usually a poor emergency move, because of DNS caching and the risk of mail being delivered to two places at once.

For most small teams, a documented backup mailbox at an independent provider is more practical than trying to bolt a backup MX onto Microsoft 365 after the fact. If you do want a true backup MX, plan it in advance with someone who understands both your DNS and Microsoft 365's mail-flow requirements, and test it before you need it.

Export your contacts and keep the file somewhere else

If Outlook is unreachable, a contact list that only lives in Microsoft 365 is not much use. Export a copy on a regular schedule and store it outside the same account (an encrypted drive, a printed call sheet for key contacts, or a mailbox at your backup provider).

In Outlook on the web, open People, use the manage/export option, and save a CSV. In Outlook for Windows, you can export contacts from File > Open & Export > Import/Export. The exact labels vary by Outlook version, so if you cannot find the command, Microsoft's own help pages for exporting contacts are the place to check. Update the file when staff or key customers change, not only after an outage.

Write a one-page fallback plan

A plan only works if people can find it when email is down. Keep a short document (and a paper copy) that answers:

• Where to check official status (the Microsoft health page and @MSFT365Status).
• Which phone numbers, SMS threads or non-Microsoft chat tools the team should use.
• The backup email address, who can sign in to it, and who is allowed to send from it.
• How you will tell customers (website banner, voicemail greeting, social post).
• Who is allowed to change DNS, and a reminder not to change MX records in a panic.
• Where the exported contact list is stored.

Test it once: send a message from the backup mailbox, call the backup numbers, and confirm that at least two people can reach the contact list without signing in to Microsoft 365.

Frequently asked questions

Will my queued mail still arrive?

Microsoft said it had extended the email timeout to 48 hours to help protect delayed messages while it worked through queues. That is a strong reason not to resend. It is not a promise that every message will arrive. If something is still missing after service is clearly back, follow up once.

Should I switch off Microsoft 365 today?

Not as an emergency move, unless you already have another provider configured and tested. A mid-outage cutover can lose or split mail. Use other channels now, then decide later whether you want Microsoft 365 as your only mail system or as one system with a backup.

Is a personal Gmail or iCloud address a good backup?

It is better than having no second channel at all, and it is fine for a short emergency. For a business, a mailbox on your own domain at an independent host is cleaner: it looks professional, and you can move it later without changing the address. Do not start putting company mail into an unpaid personal account as a long-term habit.

Can I just add a backup MX and leave Microsoft as primary?

Sometimes, if it is designed carefully. It is not a weekend DIY fix for a Microsoft 365 tenant, and it is not something to configure while mail is already failing. Start with a separate backup mailbox and a written plan; treat backup MX as a later, planned project if you still need it.

Sources

1. BBC News live: Global Microsoft outage hits schools, doctors and businesses — timeline, Microsoft recovery comments, cause, 48-hour queues context, and UK impact.
2. BBC News: What we know about the global Microsoft outage — Downdetector figure of 140,000 Outlook reports from 74 countries on Thursday evening; Microsoft's "unexpectedly unavailable" servers explanation.
3. BBC News: Global Microsoft outage affecting tens of thousands of users — Outlook reports peaked at nearly 140,000 around 18:00 GMT Thursday, per Downdetector.
4. CNBC: Outlook outage continues as Microsoft flags 'encouraging recovery progress' — start shortly before 1 p.m. ET Thursday; 48-hour timeout; Friday morning regional recovery.
5. The Verge: Microsoft Outlook is still down — services affected; Microsoft status wording, including the 48-hour email timeout.
6. Windows Central: Microsoft 365, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, and Copilot are still down — @MSFT365Status updates, incident MO1550821, 48-hour timeout still in place as of a Friday morning update around 7:33 a.m. ET.
7. NBC News live: Microsoft outage hits Outlook, Teams across the world — 6 a.m. and about 7 a.m. ET Friday recovery updates, live blog updated 7:57 a.m. ET.
8. Microsoft service health status and @MSFT365Status — official places to check during an incident.
9. Downdetector: Outlook status — public user-report tracker (not an official Microsoft page).
10. Thexyz, email hosting plans, email migrations, and email provider comparison — features and prices cited above, checked November 13, 2026.

Last checked about 8 a.m. Eastern, November 13, 2026. This is a practical guide written during an ongoing incident; Microsoft's status may have changed since it was last checked.

How to Turn Off Smart Compose and Smart Reply in Gmail

Gmail tries to finish your sentences with grey predictive text (Smart Compose) and offers one-click canned answers under some emails (Smart Reply). Some people love them; others find the grey text distracting or don't want suggestions shaping what they write. This guide shows how to switch each one off, and back on, in Gmail on the web, with real screenshots.

Quick answer

Click the Settings gear > See all settings. On the General tab, pick Writing suggestions off next to Smart Compose and Smart Reply off next to Smart Reply, then scroll down and click Save Changes.

Smart Compose and Smart Reply at a glance

Item	Details
Smart Compose	Grey predictive text as you type an email; press Tab to accept
Smart Compose personalization	Tailors those suggestions to your own writing style
Smart Reply	Up to three short suggested replies under some emails, like “Thanks!”
Where	Settings gear > See all settings > General tab
Options	Writing suggestions on / off, Personalization on / off, Smart Reply on / off
Default	On (off by default in the EEA, UK, Switzerland and Japan, where smart features start off)
Scope	Smart Compose is a Google Account setting, so it applies on every device you sign in on

Step by step: turn off Smart Compose and Smart Reply

1. Open Gmail on your computer and click the Settings gear at the top right.
2. Click See all settings at the top of the Quick settings panel.

3. Settings opens on the General tab. Stay there; both options live on this tab.

4. Scroll down to Smart Compose and select Writing suggestions off.
5. Optional: if you want to keep Smart Compose but stop it learning your style, leave it on and set Smart Compose personalization to Personalization off instead. You'll then see generic suggestions.

6. A little further down, next to Smart Reply, select Smart Reply off.
7. The Smart features checkbox just below is the bigger switch: unchecking Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet turns off Smart Compose and Smart Reply together, but also inbox categories (Primary, Promotions, Social), summary cards and other features. Leave it checked if you only want to lose the suggestions.

8. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes. The button stays greyed out until you change something.

Turning them back on

Go back to See all settings > General, choose Writing suggestions on and Smart Reply on, and click Save Changes. If the Smart Compose or Smart Reply rows are missing, check that Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet is ticked first.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I find Smart Compose or Smart Reply in my settings?

Both need Gmail's smart features turned on (General tab > Smart features). They're also limited to certain languages: Smart Compose works in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese.

Does turning off Smart Compose affect my phone?

Yes. Google says Smart Compose is a Google Account-level setting, so the change applies on any device where you're signed in. Smart Reply has its own switch in the Gmail app settings on Android and iPhone.

How do I accept a Smart Compose suggestion?

Press Tab while the grey text is showing. Keep typing to ignore it.

Is Smart Reply the same as Gemini suggested replies?

No. Smart Reply offers short, ready-made phrases and is available to anyone with Gmail. Suggested Replies come from Gemini in Gmail and draft longer, personalized responses.

Will turning these off change spelling or grammar checks?

No. Grammar, Spelling and Autocorrect have their own on/off options a little higher up the same General tab.

Sources

1. Gmail Help: Use Smart Compose in Gmail — turning writing suggestions and personalization on or off.
2. Gmail Help: Reply to messages in Gmail — the Smart Reply setting on the General tab.
3. Gmail Help: Smart features and controls — what the Smart features checkbox covers and regional defaults.
4. Screenshots captured November 13, 2026 in Gmail on the web, cropped to remove account and mailbox details. No settings were changed while capturing them.

Last checked November 13, 2026.

How to Turn On the Reading Pane in Gmail (Split View)

Out of the box, Gmail opens each email full screen, so you click back to the inbox every time you finish one. The reading pane (Google also calls it the preview pane) splits the window so your email list and the open message sit side by side or one above the other, like Outlook. This guide shows how to turn it on, pick its position, and turn it off again in Gmail on the web, with real screenshots.

Quick answer

Click the Settings gear at the top right of Gmail, scroll the Quick settings panel to Reading pane, and pick Right of inbox or Below inbox. Or go to See all settings > Inbox, check Show reading pane, choose a position, and click Save Changes.

Reading pane at a glance

Item	Details
Where (fastest)	Settings gear > Quick settings > Reading pane
Where (full settings)	Settings gear > See all settings > Inbox tab > Reading pane > Save Changes
Positions	No split (off), Right of inbox (side by side), Below inbox (top and bottom)
Default	No split (emails open full screen)
Works on	Gmail in a web browser on a computer
Best for	Right of inbox on wide screens, Below inbox on laptops and smaller screens

Method 1: Turn it on from Quick settings

1. Open Gmail on your computer and click the Settings gear at the top right. The Quick settings panel slides open on the right.

2. Scroll the panel down to Reading pane.
3. Pick Right of inbox or Below inbox. Gmail applies it straight away, with no Save button. Pick No split to turn it off again.

Method 2: Turn it on in See all settings

The full settings page has the same choice plus an on/off checkbox.

4. Click the Settings gear, then click See all settings at the top of the Quick settings panel.

5. Click the Inbox tab and scroll down to Reading pane.
6. Check Show reading pane, then choose a Reading pane position: No split, Right of inbox or Below inbox. The positions stay greyed out until the box is checked. (Older Google help pages call this checkbox "Enable reading pane.")

7. Scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes. Gmail reloads your inbox with the split view.

Using the reading pane

• Click any email in the list and it opens in the pane, so you can read the next one without going back.
• Keyboard shortcuts still work. With shortcuts on, j and k move to the newer or older conversation.
• Double-check before deleting: actions in the toolbar apply to the email shown in the pane (or the ones you've checked in the list).

Frequently asked questions

Why don't I see the Reading pane option?

Make sure you're using Gmail in a web browser on a computer, not the basic HTML view or the phone app. If Quick settings doesn't show it, use See all settings > Inbox instead.

How do I turn the reading pane off?

Pick No split in Quick settings, or uncheck Show reading pane on the Inbox tab and click Save Changes.

Does the reading pane mark emails as read?

Yes, an email you open in the pane counts as read, just like opening it full screen.

Is the setting the same on all my devices?

It's saved with your Gmail account, so it applies wherever you sign in to Gmail on the web. Each Gmail account has its own setting.

Which position should I choose?

Right of inbox suits wide monitors because you see more of the email at once. Below inbox keeps full-width subject lines and works well on laptops.

Sources

1. Gmail Help: Preview your emails — turning the preview (reading) pane on and off, and the No split, Right of inbox and Below inbox modes.
2. Gmail Help: Personalize your inbox — reading pane in Settings or the Quick settings sidebar.
3. Screenshots captured November 12, 2026 in Gmail on the web, cropped to remove account and mailbox details. No settings were changed while capturing them.

Last checked November 12, 2026.

How to Turn Off Conversation View in Gmail (Stop Grouping Emails)

By default, Gmail stacks every reply to an email into one conversation (a thread), with the newest message at the bottom. That's handy for long back-and-forths, but some people would rather see each email as its own line in the inbox, the way Outlook and most desktop mail apps do. This guide shows how to turn conversation view off (or back on) in Gmail on the web, with real screenshots, plus the steps for the Gmail app on Android and iPhone.

Quick answer

Click the Settings gear at the top right of Gmail, scroll the Quick settings panel to Email threading, and uncheck Conversation view. Or go to See all settings > General, pick Conversation view off, and click Save Changes.

Conversation view at a glance

Item	Details
Where (computer, fastest)	Settings gear > Quick settings > Email threading > Conversation view checkbox
Where (computer, full settings)	Settings gear > See all settings > General > Conversation View > Save Changes
Android app	Menu > Settings > your account > under General, uncheck Conversation view
iPhone / iPad app	Menu > Settings > Inbox customizations > turn Conversation view off
Default	On (replies are grouped)
When a thread splits anyway	The subject line changes, or the conversation passes 100 emails

Method 1: Turn it off from Quick settings

1. Open Gmail on your computer and click the Settings gear at the top right. The Quick settings panel slides open on the right.

2. Scroll the panel down to Email threading.
3. Uncheck Conversation view. Gmail reloads the inbox and every email now appears on its own line. To group them again, check the box.

Method 2: Turn it off in See all settings

If you'd rather use the full settings page (or Quick settings doesn't show the option), do this instead.

4. Click the Settings gear, then click See all settings at the top of the Quick settings panel.

5. Stay on the General tab and scroll to the Conversation View row.
6. Select Conversation view off (or Conversation view on to group emails again).

7. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes. Gmail takes you back to your inbox with the new view.

On the Gmail app (Android and iPhone)

The app setting is separate from the website, so change it on each device where you want it.

• Android: open the Gmail app, tap Menu (three lines) > Settings, tap your account address, and under General uncheck Conversation view. For non-Gmail accounts added to the app, go to Settings > General settings and uncheck Email conversation view.
• iPhone and iPad: open the Gmail app, tap Menu > Settings, under Inbox tap Inbox customizations, and switch Conversation view off.

What changes when conversation view is off

• Each reply shows up as a separate email in your inbox and in search results, sorted by date.
• Opening an email shows only that message, not the whole back-and-forth. Earlier messages are still in your inbox or Sent folder.
• Labels, archiving and deleting apply to the single email you select, not the whole thread.
• Gmail's "nudges" (suggestions to reply or follow up shown at the top of your inbox) are hidden, according to Google's help page.

Tips

• Want threads but fewer surprises? Keep conversation view on and change the subject line when a topic changes. Gmail starts a new conversation when the subject changes.
• Automated alerts piling into one thread? Gmail groups automated emails with the same senders, recipients or subject sent within a week. If you send them, give each a unique subject.
• Try density too. In Quick settings, the Density section (Default, Comfortable, Compact) makes a long, ungrouped inbox easier to scan.

Frequently asked questions

Does turning off conversation view delete any emails?

No. It only changes how your inbox is displayed. Every message stays where it was, and you can switch back at any time.

Why are my emails still grouped after I turned it off?

Check that you changed the setting for the right account (each Gmail account has its own setting), and remember the Gmail app on your phone has a separate switch. Refresh the browser tab if the inbox didn't reload.

Can I turn off conversation view for just one label or sender?

No. Conversation view is all or nothing for an account. Changing the subject line is the only way to start a separate thread with the same person.

How many emails can be in one Gmail conversation?

Up to 100. After that, Gmail starts a new conversation.

Where did the Conversation view option go in Quick settings?

It's in the Email threading section, below Density, Inbox type and Reading pane. Scroll down inside the Quick settings panel to see it, or use See all settings > General instead.

Sources

1. Gmail Help: Group emails into conversations — turning conversation view on or off on a computer, Android and iPhone; the 100-email and subject-change rules; nudges; how automated emails are grouped; and density options.
2. Screenshots captured November 11, 2026 in Gmail on the web, cropped to remove account and mailbox details. No settings were changed while capturing them.

Last checked November 11, 2026.

How to Use Confidential Mode in Gmail (Expiring Emails)

Sending something sensitive, like a contract figure or an account detail? Gmail's confidential mode lets you set an expiry date on an email, take back access whenever you want, and switch off the recipient's options to forward, copy, print, or download it. This guide walks through it step by step with real screenshots from Gmail on the web.

Quick answer

Click Compose, then click Toggle confidential mode (the padlock with a clock) at the bottom of the message window. Choose an expiration, choose No SMS passcode or SMS passcode, click Save, and send. To cut off access early, open the email in Sent and click Remove access.

Confidential mode at a glance

Item	Details
Where to find it	Bottom toolbar of the compose window: Toggle confidential mode (padlock with a clock)
Expiration choices	Expires in 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, or 5 years (Gmail shows the exact date beside your choice)
Passcode choices	No SMS passcode (Gmail users open it directly; people on other email services get a passcode by email) or SMS passcode (sent by text to a phone number you enter for the recipient)
What recipients can't do	Forward, copy, paste, print, or download the message text and attachments
What it can't stop	Screenshots, photos of the screen, or malicious programs copying the message
Take it back	Sent, open the email, click Remove access

Step 1: Turn on confidential mode in a new email

1. Open Gmail on your computer and click Compose.
2. Add your recipient, subject, and message as usual.
3. At the bottom of the compose window, click Toggle confidential mode, the padlock with a small clock. If you already turned it on, click Edit in the banner at the bottom of the email instead.

Step 2: Choose an expiration and a passcode

The Confidential mode window opens. It reminds you that recipients won't have the option to forward, copy, print, or download the email.

4. Under Set expiration, click the drop-down and pick how long the email can be opened: 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, or 5 years. The date it expires appears next to the menu.

5. Under Require passcode, choose No SMS passcode or SMS passcode. Google generates every passcode for you. If you pick SMS passcode, enter the recipient's phone number, not your own.
6. Click Save.

Step 3: Check the banner and send

Back in the compose window, a banner at the bottom shows when the content expires and repeats that recipients can't forward, copy, print, or download it. Click Edit to change the settings, or the X to turn confidential mode off for this email. When it looks right, click Send.

Step 4: Remove access early (optional)

Changed your mind, or sent it to the wrong person? You can cut off access before the expiry date.

7. On the left, click Sent.
8. Open the confidential email. Your copy shows the expiry date in a banner.
9. Click Remove access. The recipient can no longer open the message or its attachments.

What the recipient sees

• Gmail users open the message in their inbox. If you required an SMS passcode, they click Send passcode, get a text, enter the code, and click Submit.
• Other email services (Outlook, Yahoo, Thexyz and so on) get an email with a View the email link. They request a passcode, which arrives by text or email, then enter it to read the message.
• Until it expires, the forward, copy, paste, download, and print options are switched off, and the message shows a note saying so.

Tips

• It is not encryption. Confidential mode limits what recipients can do in Gmail, but they can still take a screenshot or photo. For truly sensitive data, use a secure file-sharing link or an encrypted service as well.
• Pick the shortest expiry that works. One day or one week is plenty for most one-time details.
• Use SMS passcode for outside recipients when you want proof that the person holding the phone is the one reading it.

Frequently asked questions

Where is confidential mode in Gmail?

In the compose window, at the bottom toolbar, next to the insert photo and signature buttons. It is the padlock with a clock, labelled Toggle confidential mode when you point to it.

Can the recipient forward a confidential email?

No. Forward, copy, paste, print, and download are disabled for the message text and attachments. They can still take a screenshot, so don't rely on it alone for very sensitive information.

What happens when a confidential email expires?

The recipient can no longer open the message text or attachments. If they need more time, you can send it again with a new expiry.

Can I send a confidential email to someone who doesn't use Gmail?

Yes. They get a link to view the email and a passcode by email (or by text if you chose SMS passcode).

Why can't I see the confidential mode button?

If you use a work or school account, your administrator may have turned confidential mode off for your organization. Personal Gmail accounts have it by default.

Sources

1. Gmail Help: Send & open confidential emails — setting an expiration date, revoking access, disabling forward/copy/print/download, No SMS passcode vs. SMS passcode, Remove access from Sent, opening confidential emails in Gmail and other email clients, and the warning that recipients can still take screenshots.
2. Screenshots captured November 10, 2026 in Gmail on the web, cropped to remove account and mailbox details.

Last checked November 10, 2026.

How to Snooze an Email in Gmail

Need a message out of the way for now, but want it back tomorrow or next week? When you snooze an email in Gmail, it is removed from your inbox temporarily and comes back to the top of your inbox at the time you choose. This guide shows how to snooze a message, find it later, and bring it back early, with real screenshots from Gmail on the web.

Quick answer

Point to the email, click Snooze on the right, and pick a later day and time. To find it afterward, open Snoozed on the left or search in:snoozed. The message returns to the top of your inbox at the time you chose.

Snooze at a glance

Item	Details
What it does	Removes the email from your inbox temporarily; it comes back to the top of your inbox at the time you choose
How to snooze (computer)	Point to the email, click Snooze on the right, then choose a later day and time
Several messages at once	Select the messages, then click Snooze at the top. If you can’t find Snooze, click More, then Snooze
Suggested times	Gmail offers suggested times, such as Later today, Tomorrow, Later this week, This weekend, Next week, or Pick date & time (the exact list depends on the day and time)
Where they wait	On the left, click Mail, then Snoozed, or search in:snoozed
When it comes back	Automatically, at the top of your inbox at the chosen time
Get it back early	Open Snoozed (or search in:snoozed), open the conversation and click Unsnooze in the banner at the top

Step 1: Open Gmail and find the message

1. Open Gmail on your computer at mail.google.com.
2. Find the message you want to snooze. Working from your inbox or from search results is fine; you only need to be able to point to the email.

Step 2: Click Snooze

3. Point to the email. On the right, click Snooze (the clock icon).
4. To snooze several messages at once, select them, then click Snooze at the top of the page. If you can’t find Snooze, click More, then Snooze.

Step 3: Choose a later day and time

5. Choose a later day and time to get the email. Gmail offers suggested times. On a Monday morning we saw Later today (6:00 PM), Tomorrow (8:00 AM), Later this week (Wednesday, 8:00 AM), This weekend (Saturday, 8:00 AM), and Next week (Monday, 8:00 AM). The exact list depends on the day and time.
6. To set your own, click Pick date & time, choose a date on the calendar, check the date and time boxes, and click Save.

After you pick a time, Gmail removes the message from your inbox temporarily. Gmail shows “Conversation snoozed” at the bottom left with an Undo link, and the message loses its Inbox tag and shows the date it will return.

Step 4: Find snoozed mail

7. On the left, click Mail, then Snoozed.
8. Or type in:snoozed in the Gmail search box to jump straight to those conversations.

Step 5: What happens next (and how to get it back early)

9. At the time you chose, the message comes back to the top of your inbox on its own.
10. To bring it back earlier, open Snoozed (or search in:snoozed) and open the conversation. A banner at the top shows when it is due back (for example, “Snoozed until Tomorrow, 8:00 AM”). Click Unsnooze on the right of that banner. Gmail confirms “Conversation moved to Inbox.”

Snooze from the Gmail app (optional)

1. Open the Gmail app and open the email.
2. At the top right, tap More or Snooze.
3. Choose a later day and time.

Tips

• Snooze is not Schedule send. Snooze hides a message you already received and brings it back later. Schedule send holds an outgoing email that has not been sent yet. See How to Schedule an Email in Gmail (Schedule Send).
• Undo send is different too. Undo send gives you a few seconds to pull back a message right after you click Send. See How to use Undo Send in Gmail.
• Snooze several at once. Select the messages, then click Snooze at the top. If you can’t find it, click More, then Snooze.
• Use search. in:snoozed jumps straight to snoozed mail.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Snooze in Gmail?

Point to the email and click Snooze on the right. To snooze several messages, select them and click Snooze at the top (or More, then Snooze). To find mail you already snoozed, click Mail, then Snoozed, or search in:snoozed.

Does the sender know I snoozed their email?

No. Snooze only changes where the message appears in your mailbox. The sender is not notified.

Can I change the snooze time?

Yes. Open the snoozed conversation, click Unsnooze, then snooze it again and choose the new day and time.

Does Snooze work in the Gmail app?

Yes. Open the email, tap More or Snooze at the top right, and choose a later day and time.

Sources

1. Gmail Help: Snooze emails until later — snoozing removes an email from your inbox temporarily and brings it back to the top at the time you choose; on a computer, point to the email, click Snooze on the right, and choose a later day and time; select several messages and click Snooze at the top (or More, then Snooze); find them by clicking Mail, then Snoozed, or by searching in:snoozed.
2. Google Workspace Learning Center: Snooze email or reminders until later — same computer steps; in the Gmail app, open an email, tap More or Snooze at the top right, and choose a later day and time.
3. Screenshots captured November 9, 2026, cropped to remove account and mailbox details.

Last checked November 9, 2026.

How to Turn On Vacation Responder in Gmail (Out of Office Auto-Reply)

Going away for a few days, or just need people to know you will reply later? Gmail’s Vacation responder sends an automatic reply when someone emails you. This guide shows how to turn it on, set the dates and message, choose who gets a reply, and turn it off early, with real screenshots from Gmail on the web.

Quick answer

Open Gmail, click the gear icon, then See all settings. On the General tab, scroll to Vacation responder, select Vacation responder on, fill in the dates, subject and message, optionally limit replies to your contacts, then click Save Changes at the bottom. While it is on, an inbox banner lets you click End now to stop it early.

Vacation responder at a glance

Item	Details
Where to set it	Settings (gear) > See all settings > General > Vacation responder
What you fill in	First day, optional Last day, Subject, Message
Who gets a reply	Everyone by default, or only people in your Contacts (and, on Workspace, optionally only people in your domain)
When it runs	From 12:00 AM on the start date through 11:59 PM on the end date
Turn off early	Click End now on the inbox banner, or set Vacation responder off and Save Changes

Step 1: Open all Gmail settings

1. Open Gmail on your computer at mail.google.com.
2. Click the gear icon at the top right to open Quick settings, then click See all settings.

Step 2: Find Vacation responder

3. Stay on the General tab.
4. Scroll down to the Vacation responder section near the bottom of the page (above the Save Changes button).

Step 3: Turn it on and write your message

5. Select Vacation responder on.
6. Choose a First day. Optionally tick Last day and pick when it should stop. Without a last day, it stays on until you turn it off.
7. Enter a Subject (for example, “Out of office”) and a short Message explaining when you will be back and who to contact instead, if anyone.
8. Optional: check Only send a response to people in my Contacts if you do not want strangers or newsletters to get the auto-reply. On a Google Workspace account you may also see an option limited to people in your domain.

For example, use the subject “Out of office” and message “Thanks for your email. I am away and will reply when I return.” These are sample words, not saved account settings.

Step 4: Save your changes

9. Scroll to the bottom of the General settings page and click Save Changes. If you leave without saving, Gmail keeps the old setting.

Step 5: Turn it off early (optional)

10. While the responder is active, Gmail shows a banner across the top of your inbox with the subject of your vacation reply.
11. Click End now on that banner to stop it immediately, or open settings again, select Vacation responder off, and click Save Changes.

How Gmail sends the auto-reply

• It usually replies only the first time each person emails you during the period.
• The same person can get another reply if they email you again after four days, or if you edit the vacation message (editing resets the cycle).
• Messages in Spam and mail addressed to a mailing list you subscribe to do not get a vacation reply.
• If you use a Gmail signature, it appears under the vacation message.
• Adding a subject line makes the auto-reply arrive as its own email instead of inside the same conversation thread.

Tips

• Keep the message short. Say you are away, when you return, and an alternate contact if you have one.
• Test it. Ask a colleague or a second address of yours to email you after you save, and confirm they get one reply.
• Using Thexyz Webmail? It has a separate vacation / auto-reply setting; see how to set a vacation message in Thexyz Webmail.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Vacation responder in Gmail?

Settings (gear) > See all settings > General tab > scroll to Vacation responder.

Does every email get an auto-reply?

No. Gmail normally sends one reply per person for the period. The same person may get another after four days, or after you edit the message.

Can I send the reply only to my contacts?

Yes. Check Only send a response to people in my Contacts before you save.

How do I turn Vacation responder off early?

Click End now on the inbox banner, or set Vacation responder off in settings and click Save Changes.

Does Vacation responder work in the Gmail app?

Yes. In the Gmail app, open the menu, tap Settings, choose your account, then Vacation responder. Turn it on, fill in the dates and message, then save using the control shown in your app version.

Sources

1. Gmail Help: Send an automatic reply when you're out of office — turn Vacation responder on, set dates, subject and message, optionally limit to Contacts, Save Changes; End now on the inbox banner; first-time and four-day rules; spam and mailing lists skipped.
2. Gmail settings screenshots captured November 7, 2026, cropped to remove account and mailbox details. The captured Vacation responder setting is Off; the Save Changes button is disabled in the unchanged-settings screenshot. The on-state and active inbox banner are described using Gmail Help, not pictured here.

Last checked November 7, 2026.

both; text-align: center;">