How do I answer emails when they are in draft mode?

To answer emails that are in draft mode in Microsoft Outlook, you can follow these general steps:

1. Open the Drafts Folder: Go to the Drafts folder in Outlook where your draft emails are saved.
2. Select the Draft Email: Click on the draft email you want to reply to.
3. Edit the Draft: You can edit the content of the draft as needed. If you want to reply to an email instead of just editing a draft, you might need to open the original email.
4. Reply to the Original Email: If you want to reply to the original email, open that email, select Reply, and then compose your response.
5. Send the Email: Once you are satisfied with your reply, click on the Send button to send your email.

If you are having trouble activating the reply option in your tools, ensure that your Outlook is updated and functioning correctly. You may also want to check your account settings or contact your IT support for further assistance.

References:

• Reply to emails with Finance agents in Microsoft 365 Outlook (preview)
• Draft an email with Copilot

Dear Judy Kettner

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A Community. I understand you are having a problem replying to emails that are in draft mode in Outlook. I am happy to assist you. Please try these workarounds  

• Send the Draft First  
  • Open the draft and click Send. Once the message is sent, you can reply or forward it from the Sent Items folder. Drafts cannot be replied to directly.  
• Verify Outlook is Online  
  • Go to Send/Receive tab and ensure Work Offline is not enabled. If highlighted, click it to reconnect.   
• Update Outlook  
  • Install the latest updates via File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now. This resolves issues where reply buttons do not work.  
• See : Selecting Reply, Reply All, and Forward buttons is not working as expected - Microsoft Support  
• Repair Outlook Profile  
  • Navigate to File > Account Settings > Account Settings, select your account, click Repair, and follow the wizard.  
• Use Outlook Web App as a Workaround  
  • Sign in at https://outlook.office.com and reply from there if the desktop app still fails.   
• Change Message Format if Sending Fails  
  • If you see errors like “Cannot send this item,” open the draft and change the format to HTML, Rich Text, or Plain Text via the Format Text tab.   
• See : Change the message format to HTML, Rich Text Format, or plain text in Outlook - Microsoft Support  

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