Email is Queued in Gmail: What Does It Mean

Have you ever sent an important email only to discover later that it was not delivered, and is “queued” instead? This issue is quite common with Gmail and some other email clients, so don’t fret. We’ll explain what it means for an email to be queued and how you can avoid it.

What does it mean when an email is queued?

Being queued means that an email has not been sent to the recipient. In fact, it still resides in your outbox, ready to be processed. Normally this stage takes a mere second, but sometimes an email can get stuck in your outbox for quite a long time.

Why is my email queued?

This may occur due to various reasons, such as a slow internet connection, an issue with the email server, or many emails being sent simultaneously. Also, Gmail app may queue messages with large attachments because of limited storage space. Below, we’ll dive deeper into the common reasons for an email being queued.

Connectivity issues

The email system requires stable, fast internet connectivity to function. Network problems can prevent emails from getting from your device to the outgoing email server. In such a case, an email is kept in the queue for as long as as the web client or mobile app waits for a stable connection.

Email characteristics

Sometimes, an email stays in the queue not due to a technical problem, but because of its own characteristics. For example, if you send hundreds of emails simultaneously, Gmail will likely queue and send them in batches to ensure smooth delivery. Some emails with large attachments can be queued because of limited storage space on your device or Gmail account – if so, you’ll need to free up space.

Email restrictions

Many email services impose certain restrictions to prevent spam, like sending no more than 20 or 50 emails per hour. If you exceed these limits, your message may be queued for some time until the quota is renewed. Sometimes, your email app may also queue an email while running spam checks.

Technical glitches

Email systems are complex, requiring many components to work in unison to guarantee smooth delivery. Any software issue could disrupt the whole system and cause your messages to get queued until the problem is fixed.

General tips to get rid of email queueing

These are the common ways to fix the queueing issue which may work with any email provider:

Check your internet connection

Weak connectivity is by far the most common reason for queued emails, so check your internet connection first to see if it’s ok. You may need to reset the router or troubleshoot your device’s Wi-Fi connection to solve the issue. Using a VPN could also interfere with your connection, so turn it off and see if the problem is resolved.

Schedule your emails

Gmail and other email providers limit the number of emails you can send within a certain period. The limit for personal Gmail accounts is 500 per day (2,000 for Workspace accounts). If you reach that limit, any email you send will be queued until the next day.

To avoid this problem, you can schedule your emails to be sent later instead of the moment you click the send button. You can set a specific date and time to send an email, avoiding indefinite queueing.

Work around your attachment restrictions

Most email providers limit the size of attachments you can send; messages above this limit will be queued until the issue is solved. You can get around attachment restrictions in various ways:

• File compression: Use file compression software to reduce the file size. If you’re sending an image, convert it to a compress format or decrease image size.
• External upload: Upload the file to an external cloud storage service, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, and share the link in your email instead of attaching the whole file.

How to resolve email queueing in Gmail

Consider these specific scenarios for Gmail users to fix email queues:

• Ensure you are using the latest version of the Gmail app on your device. Older versions could have technical issues, causing emails to be queued.
• Verify that your attachment doesn’t exceed Gmail’s 25 MB limit. If it does, refer to the workarounds in the above section.
• Check whether you’ve activated Gmail’s “Offline Mode.” You must switch back to online mode to send queued emails.

Let’s now look at resolving the queued emails issue for specific platforms.

On iPhone

Ensure your Date & Time settings are correct

Incorrect date and time settings can cause emails to get queued as the app waits for the right sending date. Ensure your iPhone’s date and time settings are correct to avoid this issue.

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Scroll down and tap General, then tap Date & Time.

3. Ensure the toggle next to Set Automatically is on and bright green. If so, your iPhone will always use your mobile carrier's correct date and time, avoiding queueing issues.

Reset your Network settings

Network-related issues on your iPhone can prevent Gmail from sending emails. In such cases, you can reset your network settings to reestablish a stable internet connection.

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Scroll down and tap General, then tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.

3. Tap Reset > Reset Network Settings.

4. Enter your iPhone’s password and confirm the reset. Note that this action erases all your saved Wi-Fi networks and passcodes.

Look for iOS updates

An outdated OS version can have issues that prevent Gmail from functioning correctly. You can check for and install iOS updates to solve this problem.

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Scroll down and tap General, then tap Software Update.

3. If your iPhone’s iOS software is outdated, you’ll see an option to download the latest version, so click on Update Now. You can also turn on Automatic Updates on this menu to keep your iPhone always up-to-date.

On Android

Clear your Gmail app’s cache

Too many cached files can cause problems with your Gmail app and prevent it from sending emails correctly. To solve this issue, try clearing the cache.

1. Open your Android device’s Settings app.

2. Click Apps > All and scroll until you find Gmail.

3. Enter Gmail > Storage > and Clear data and Clear cache to remove stored files that may interfere with the app’s function. Beware that this action logs you out of your Gmail accounts, and you need to sign in again.

Ensure Gmail can use background data

Background data usage option allows an app to use mobile data even when you’re not actively using the app. Sometimes people turn this setting off to optimize data usage, but this can cause Gmail to malfunction.

In this case, if you send an email via Gmail and immediately close the app, it wont’be able to continue sending emails in the background, so it has to queue them until you open the app again. Allowing background data transfer for Gmail eliminates this issue.

1. Open the Settings app on your Android device.

2. Click Apps > All and scroll till you find Gmail.

3. Enter Gmail settings and click Mobile Data.

4. Ensure the Allow background data usage and Allow app while Data Saver on toggles are turned on. This way, Gmail can always access mobile data to send emails instead of queueing them when not in active use.

Disable and re-enable email sync

Sometimes, your Gmail app might have issues syncing with your mailbox, causing emails to be sent to the queue. To resolve this issue, try turning off email sync and then turn it on again.

1. Open the Gmail app.

2. Tap the three lines in the top-left corner and open Settings.

3. Tap the Gmail account you're having issues with.

4. Uncheck "Sync Gmail" from the provided options.

5. Restart your mobile device.

6. Follow steps 1-3 again and turn on Sync Gmail.

On the web client

Ensure Gmail is not set to offline mode

Gmail client can work while offline on the Chrome browser, allowing you to read your emails without an active internet connection. However, any message you send in this mode will be kept in the queue until your device gets an active internet connection.

Ensure your Gmail is not set to offline mode to avoid email queues:

1. Open Gmail on your web browser.

2. Click on Settings > See All Settings.

3. Click on the Offline tab and ensure the Enable Offline mail checkbox is open.

Clear your web browser’s cache and cookies

Your browser stores tons of cached files and cookies over time, which could interfere with Gmail’s proper function. You can clear your browser cache anytime to resolve this issue.

1. Open your browser and navigate to its Settings menu.

2. Look for Privacy and Security (in Chrome) or something similar in other browsers.

3. Click Clear browsing data (or a similar button) and choose what you want to delete (caches, cookies, and browsing history).

Note that clearing cookies may sign you out of your account in Gmail and other web-based applications.

Queued email FAQs

What does a queued email mean?

An email being queued means it’s still in your outbox, waiting to be delivered to the intended recipient. A queued email is akin to a physical letter in the post office, still waiting to be processed.

Why is my email queued?

Your email can be queued for many different reasons, including internet connectivity issues, used up storage space on your account, email sending restrictions, server glitches, and so on. You’ll need to investigate further to determine the specific cause of your issue.

What happens after deleting an email in Outbox?

Deleting a message from your outbox means that the message will not get to the recipient. It will be permanently deleted from your email account.

How do I resolve a queued message?

Emails may be queued due to many reasons, and the right steps to resolve this issue depend on your unique circumstances. Try disabling offline mode, review your internet connection, check for updates, and work around attachment limits.