Microsoft Teams

How to set out of office in Teams, so Outlook says it too.

Profile picture › Set status message › Schedule out of office. It's the same setting as Outlook's automatic replies, so one message covers both. Write yours below.

Why you're out

First day outBack on

I don't know when I'm back yet

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

Tone

Your detailsSomeone's covering for me

While I'm away, I'm

Automatic reply: Re: Quick question before you go

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]

Your details To fill in

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 Calendar Outlook on the web

Tell your team lead

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
Select your profile picture at the top right, then Set status message › Schedule out of office.
2
Turn on Turn on automatic replies and paste your message. Teams won't set the status without one.
3
Optional: check Send replies outside my organization and paste the outside version.
4
Check Send replies only during a time period: Fri, Oct 9, 5:00 PM to Mon, Oct 19, 8:00 AM.
5
Select Save.

It's the same setting as Outlook's automatic replies: turn it on in either and it's on in both, with an out-of-office badge on your Teams picture.

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 calendar See 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

Teams out of office, step by step.

Teams

1
Select your profile picture at the top right, then Set status message › Schedule out of office.
2
Turn on Turn on automatic replies and paste your message. Teams won't set the status without one.
3
Optional: check Send replies outside my organization and paste the outside version.
4
Check Send replies only during a time period: the evening before you leave to the morning you're back.
5
Select Save.

It's the same setting as Outlook's automatic replies: turn it on in either and it's on in both, with an out-of-office badge on your Teams picture.

Teams out of office message examples, short enough for a status.

Vacation out of office messages

Short

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

Funny

I'm on vacation until [return date], somewhere sunny, pretending email was never invented. If it's urgent, [colleague's name] can help at [their email]. If it's not urgent, it will still be not urgent on [return date]. [Your name]

Sick day out of office message

Short

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

Training out of office message

Professional

Hello, Thank you for your email. I'm attending a training course from [start date] through [end date]. I will not have access to email during this time. I'll reply when I'm back on [return date]. If your matter is urgent, please contact [colleague's name] at [their email]. Best regards, [Your name]

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

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.
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.
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.
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

Does Teams out of office sync with Outlook?

Yes. Teams' out of office and Outlook's automatic replies are the same setting. Turn it on in either one and it's on in both, with the same message.

What do people see in Teams?

An out-of-office badge on your picture, and your message when they open your profile or start a chat with you.

Why can't I schedule out of office in Teams?

Teams needs a message before it will set the status, so paste one in first. It also needs a work mailbox: personal and free Teams accounts may not have the option.

How do I turn it off?

If you set a time period, it ends on its own. Otherwise go back to your profile picture › Set status message › Schedule out of office, switch off "Turn on automatic replies" and Save.