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Outlook automatic replies

How to set an out of office in Outlook, and what to write in it.

In new Outlook and on the web it's Settings › Accounts › Automatic replies. Write your message below and the steps fill in with your dates, for new Outlook, classic Outlook, Mac and your phone.

Why you're out
Dates

7 days away, 5 workdays off. Find more breaks like this

Tone
Your details

While I'm away, I'm

Automatic reply: Re: Quick question before you go

You

You

to Sam Rivera · just now

Hello, Thank you for your email. I'm on vacation from Monday, October 12 through Friday, October 16 and will be back in the office on Monday, October 19. I will not have access to email during this time. If your matter is urgent, please contact [colleague's name] at [their email]. Otherwise, I'll respond to your message as soon as possible after I return. Best regards, [Your name]

The rest of your out-of-office, already written.

Slack or Teams status

On vacation, back Mon, Oct 19

29/100 characters, Slack's limit. Set it to clear on Mon, Oct 19.

Subject line (Gmail)

On vacation, back Mon, Oct 19

Gmail's vacation responder asks for one. Outlook writes its own: “Automatic reply: …”.

Block your calendar

Out of office: On vacation

Mon, Oct 12 to Sun, Oct 18 · all day · shows as Out of office

Google CalendarOutlook on the web

Tell your team lead

Email

Hi! Heads-up: I'll be on vacation from Monday, October 12 through Friday, October 16, and back on Monday, October 19. My out-of-office reply is on.

Now turn it on, with your dates filled in.

  1. 1

    Open Settings (the gear at the top right), then Accounts › Automatic replies.

  2. 2

    Turn on the Automatic replies toggle.

  3. 3

    Check Send replies only during a time period. Start: Fri, Oct 9, 5:00 PM. End: Mon, Oct 19, 8:00 AM.

  4. 4

    Optional: check Block my calendar for this period and Automatically decline new invitations for events that occur during this period.

  5. 5

    Paste your message into the box.

  6. 6

    Work account? Check Send replies outside your organization, then Send replies only to contacts, and paste the outside version.

  7. 7

    Select Save.

  • Outlook sends your reply once to each sender. Editing it later resets that, so everyone gets the new version once.
  • Without a time period, replies keep going until you switch them off.

You'll paste

Turning it on the evening before and off the morning you're back means it switches itself off. No forgetting.

For team leads

Your auto-reply covers your inbox. Who's covering the team?

Auto-replies tell the people emailing you. Your team lead finds out who's out from the bounce-backs. Forgot puts everyone's time off, holidays and release dates on one calendar, so a clash shows up while there's still time to plan around it.

  • Everyone's time off on one board, set up in five minutes
  • A warning when too many people are out at once
  • Your team never signs up. You keep the calendar.
Put your team on one calendarSee an example

Free for 14 days, no card. Then $9 once, no subscription. Not your call? Send it to your team lead.

Your team
2 of 4 out on Thu, Oct 15
M12
T13
W14
T15
F16
M19
T20
W21
T22
F23
YouYou
🌴 On vacation
JOJordan
Covering for you
EDEmily
Vacation
MLMarcus

Every version of Outlook, step by step.

New Outlook and Outlook on the web

  1. 1

    Open Settings (the gear at the top right), then Accounts › Automatic replies.

  2. 2

    Turn on the Automatic replies toggle.

  3. 3

    Check Send replies only during a time period. Start: the evening before you leave. End: the morning you're back.

  4. 4

    Optional: check Block my calendar for this period and Automatically decline new invitations for events that occur during this period.

  5. 5

    Paste your message into the box.

  6. 6

    Work account? Check Send replies outside your organization, then Send replies only to contacts, and paste the outside version.

  7. 7

    Select Save.

  • Outlook sends your reply once to each sender. Editing it later resets that, so everyone gets the new version once.
  • Without a time period, replies keep going until you switch them off.

Classic Outlook for Windows

  1. 1

    Select File › Automatic Replies.

  2. 2

    Select Send automatic replies, check Only send during this time range, and set the evening before you leave to the morning you're back.

  3. 3

    On the Inside My Organization tab, paste your message.

  4. 4

    On the Outside My Organization tab, check the box to reply outside your organization, pick My Contacts only, and paste the outside version.

  5. 5

    Select OK.

  • No Automatic Replies button? Your account is POP or IMAP (like Gmail or Yahoo). Set the reply up in that account's own settings instead.
  • The reply runs on the server, so Outlook doesn't need to stay open.

Outlook for Mac

  1. 1

    In Mail, open the Tools menu › Automatic Replies.

  2. 2

    Turn on Send Automatic Replies and paste your message under Message for inside your organization.

  3. 3

    Turn on Set next to the time period: the evening before you leave to the morning you're back.

  4. 4

    Optional: check Message for outside your organization, pick Send only to my contacts, and paste the outside version.

  5. 5

    Close the window. It saves on its own.

  • Greyed out? The account is POP or IMAP, which Outlook for Mac can't send automatic replies for.

Outlook on iPhone and Android

  1. 1

    In the Outlook app, tap your profile picture, then the Settings gear.

  2. 2

    Tap your account, then Automatic Replies, and turn it on.

  3. 3

    Turn on Reply during a time period: the evening before you leave to the morning you're back.

  4. 4

    Pick Reply to everyone or Reply only to my organization, paste your message and save.

  • Works for Microsoft 365, Exchange and Outlook.com accounts. What you set on your phone shows up on your computer too.

Outlook out of office message examples, inside and outside your company.

Outlook can send colleagues one reply and everyone else another. These work as either; the generator writes both.

Vacation out of office messages

Professional

Hello, Thank you for your email. I'm on vacation from [start date] through [end date] and will be back in the office on [return date]. I will not have access to email during this time. If your matter is urgent, please contact [colleague's name] at [their email]. Otherwise, I'll respond to your message as soon as possible after I return. Best regards, [Your name]

Friendly

Hi! Thanks for your email. I'm on vacation and (hopefully) somewhere with bad Wi-Fi. I'll be back on [return date] and will reply then. If it can't wait, [colleague's name] can help at [their email]. Thanks, [Your name]

Short

On vacation until [return date], without email. Urgent? Contact [colleague's name] at [their email]. [Your name]

Christmas and New Year out of office messages

Professional

Hello, Thank you for your email. I'm out of the office for the holidays from [start date] through [end date] and will return on [return date]. I will not have access to email during this time. If your matter is urgent, please contact [colleague's name] at [their email]. Otherwise, I'll respond to your message as soon as possible after I return. Wishing you a happy holiday season and a great start to the new year. Warm regards, [Your name]

Funny

Thanks for your email. I'm out for the holidays, and I've checked my inbox twice: it can wait until [return date]. If yours is on the urgent list, [colleague's name] can help at [their email]. Happy holidays! [Your name]

Sick day out of office messages

Professional

Hello, Thank you for your email. I'm out sick on [start date] and expect to be back on [return date]. I will not have access to email during this time. If your matter is urgent, please contact [colleague's name] at [their email]. Otherwise, I'll respond to your message as soon as possible after I return. Thank you, [Your name]

Short

Out sick, back [return date]. Urgent? Contact [colleague's name] at [their email]. [Your name]

Business trip out of office messages

Professional

Hello, Thank you for your email. I'm traveling for work from [start date] through [end date]. I will have limited access to email during this time. I'll reply as soon as I can, and no later than [return date]. If your matter is urgent, please contact [colleague's name] at [their email]. Best regards, [Your name]

Friendly

Hi! I'm on the road for work until [return date], so my replies will come between flights and meetings. I'll be checking email now and then, so my reply may be slow. If it can't wait, [colleague's name] can help at [their email]. Thanks, [Your name]

Parental leave out of office message

Professional

Hello, Thank you for your email. I'm currently on undefined leave and will return on [return date]. I will not have access to email during this time. If your matter is urgent, please contact [colleague's name] at [their email]. I look forward to reconnecting when I'm back. Best regards, [Your name]

What a good out-of-office says, and what it leaves out.

  1. 01

    The day you're back

    A date, not "next week". People plan around it. Some give the day after they're really back, to get a quiet day to catch up.

  2. 02

    Who to ask instead

    A name and an email, so urgent things don't wait. Ask them first, and tell them when you're back.

  3. 03

    Whether you'll see email

    "No access" or "checking now and then" sets the right expectations, and stops people waiting on a reply you won't send.

  4. 04

    Nothing that's not their business

    Auto-replies go to everyone, spammers included. Leave out your phone number, where you're going and why you're out, if it's private.

Questions

Why didn't someone get my automatic reply?

Outlook replies once to each sender, so a second email from the same person gets nothing. Mail that lands in Junk gets no reply either. If the sender is outside your company, check that "Send replies outside your organization" is on.

How do I send a different message to people outside my company?

In new Outlook and on the web, check "Send replies outside your organization" and a second box appears. In classic Outlook, use the Outside My Organization tab. Toggle the generator's preview to "Outside" for a version without internal names or private reasons.

Why don't I see Automatic Replies in Outlook?

Your account is probably POP or IMAP, like Gmail, Yahoo or many internet providers. Outlook can only send automatic replies for Microsoft 365, Exchange and Outlook.com accounts. Set the reply up in that account's own settings, such as Gmail's vacation responder.

Do I need to leave Outlook open?

No. For Microsoft 365, Exchange and Outlook.com accounts the reply is sent by the server, so you can close Outlook and turn off your computer.

How do I turn off automatic replies?

If you set a time period, it turns off on its own at the end time. Otherwise go back to Settings › Accounts › Automatic replies (or File › Automatic Replies in classic Outlook) and switch it off. Classic Outlook also shows a bar under the ribbon with a Turn off button while it's on.

Can Outlook block my calendar and decline meetings while I'm out?

Yes, in new Outlook, on the web and on your phone. With a time period set, check "Block my calendar for this period" and "Automatically decline new invitations". Classic Outlook doesn't have these options; set them on the web instead.