Outbox meaning in email

In email, the "outbox" refers to the folder or section of your email client where sent emails are stored. It's a temporary holding area where emails are kept until they are successfully delivered to the recipient's inbox.

When you send an email, it is typically moved from your "compose" or "write" window to the outbox. From there, the email is processed by your email client and sent to the recipient's email server. Once the email is successfully delivered, it is usually removed from the outbox and moved to the "sent" folder.

The outbox serves several purposes:

  1. Temporary storage: It provides a temporary holding area for sent emails until they are delivered to the recipient's inbox.
  2. Tracking: It allows you to keep track of the emails you've sent, including the date, time, and recipient.
  3. Recovery: If an email fails to send or is undeliverable, it can be retrieved from the outbox and resent.

In most email clients, the outbox is accessible from the main menu or by using keyboard shortcuts. For example, in Gmail, you can access the outbox by clicking on the "Sent" tab in the left-hand menu.