How to Continue a Draft in Outlook Mail on the Web

by Heinz Tschabitscher
An independent writer who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
Updated September 17, 2018

Message drafts let you save for later finishing (and sending) an email you are composing in Outlook Mail on the web.

Saved for Later; Which Is Now

Have you saved a message as a draft in Outlook Mail on the Web or Outlook.com, or Windows Live Hotmail to make sure you can recover it if your browser crashes or, perhaps, because you did not have all the time needed to finish it?

Recovering that draft and finishing your message is easy in Outlook Mail on the Web.

Continue Editing a Message Draft in Outlook Mail on the Web

To find and continue editing an email you have saved as a draft in Outlook Mail on the Web:

  1. Open the Drafts folder in Outlook Mail on the web.

    If you see no folders under Folders, click ⌄ in front of Folders in Outlook Mail on the web's left navigation bar.

    You can also go to the Drafts folder (even without the folder list expanded) by hitting g d (with Outlook Mail on the web keyboard shortcuts enabled).

  2. Click on the message you want to continue composing.

  3. If the message does not open for editing automatically:

    Click the Continue editing pencil icon (✏️) in the draft message's header area.

  4. Edit the message draft as needed and eventually send it.

The draft will be removed from the Drafts folder automatically.

You can also save the edited message as a new draft, which will overwrite the previous one in the Drafts folder automatically.

Continue Editing a Message Draft in Outlook.com

To open a message saved as a draft and continue editing it in Outlook.com:

  1. Open the Drafts folder in Outlook.com.

    If you do not see the Drafts folder listed under Folders, Click Folders.

  2. Click the subject for the message draft you want to continue composing.

  3. Now click Continue writing in the message's header area.

  4. Continue to edit the message and eventually send it.

    The draft will automatically be deleted from the Drafts folder.

  5. You can also save the message as a draft again, of course, and continue writing later; the new draft will replace the old one.

Continue Editing a Message Draft in Windows Live Hotmail

To continue editing a message draft in Windows Live Hotmail:

  1. Go to the Drafts folder.

  2. Click on the message you want to continue composing.

  3. Follow the Continue composing this message link in the email's top area.

    In Windows Live Hotmail classic, this step is not necessary.

  4. Continue editing the message and eventually send it.

  5. The message draft will automatically be removed from the Drafts folder.

Save an Email as a Draft in Outlook Mail on the Web

To save the current state of any email you are composing in Outlook Mail on the web:

  1. Click the More commands button (⋯) in the message's toolbar while composing.

  2. Select Save draft from the menu that has appeared.

Remove an Email Draft from the Outlook Mail on the Web "Drafts" Folder

To quickly delete an unneeded draft from Outlook Mail on the web:

  1. Open the Drafts folder.

  2. Position the mouse cursor over the draft you wish to delete.

  3. Click the Delete button (🗑) that has appeared. You can also open the message and click Discard, then click Discard again to confirm.

(Updated August 2016, tested with Outlook Mail on the web and Outlook.com in a desktop browser)