What an automatic reply does and when to use it

An automatic reply in Outlook sends a message back to anyone who emails you while you are away or unable to respond. The reply goes out when ready after their message arrives, letting them know you received it and when you might respond. You set it once, and Outlook sends the same message to every incoming email until you turn it off.

Use automatic replies when you are on vacation, out sick, attending a conference, or temporarily unable to check email. The reply reassures senders that their message reached you and sets expectations about when they will hear back. This is especially useful if you manage a shared inbox or if people often need urgent responses — they know not to expect an when ready answer from you.

Automatic replies are different from email filters or rules. A filter sorts incoming mail into folders. An automatic reply actually sends a message back to the sender. Only the sender sees the reply; it does not appear in your own inbox.

Key Takeaways

  • Automatic replies in Outlook are turned on through the File menu under Automatic Replies, not through settings or preferences.
  • You can set a specific date and time for the reply to start and stop, so it does not run after you return to work.
  • The reply goes to everyone who emails you, including people outside your organization if you use Outlook at work.
  • Each person receives the reply only once per message thread, so they will not be spammed with multiple copies.
  • You can write different replies for people inside your organization and people outside it, which is useful if you work for a company with security policies.

How to turn on automatic replies in Outlook desktop

Open Outlook on your computer. Click the File tab at the top left of the window. From the menu that appears, look for Automatic Replies (sometimes labeled Out of Office Assistant in older versions). Click it.

A dialog box will open. Check the box next to Send automatic replies. This turns the feature on. Now you can type your message in the text field below. Keep it brief — one or two sentences is enough. For example: "I am out of the office until Monday, January 15. I will respond to your email when I return."

If you want the reply to run only during specific dates, check the box labeled Only send during this time range. Click the start date and time, then the end date and time. Outlook will stop sending replies automatically after the end time you set. If you do not set dates, the reply will continue until you manually turn it off.

Setting different replies for internal and external senders

If you use Outlook through your workplace, you may see two text fields: one for Inside My Organization and one for Outside My Organization. This lets you send different messages to coworkers and to people outside your company.

You might tell coworkers "I am in meetings all week but will check email Thursday evening," while telling external contacts "I am out of the office and will respond when I return." Some workplaces require you to use the internal-only option for security reasons — check with your IT department if you are unsure.

If you see only one text field, your version of Outlook does not support separate replies. Type one message that works for everyone.

How to turn on automatic replies in Outlook web

If you use Outlook through a web browser (outlook.com or your work email portal), the steps are slightly different. Click the gear icon in the top right corner of the page. Select View all Outlook settings.

In the settings menu, click Mail, then Automatic replies. Toggle the switch to On. Type your message in the text field. If you want to set an end date, check the box for End time and choose when the replies should stop.

Click Save at the bottom of the page. Your automatic reply is now active. You can return to this same menu anytime to edit the message or turn it off.

What happens after you turn on automatic replies

Once automatic replies are on, every new email you receive will trigger one reply to the sender. If someone sends you multiple emails in the same conversation thread, they will receive the automatic reply only once — Outlook recognizes the thread and does not spam them with repeated messages.

The automatic reply is sent from your email address, so it looks like it came from you. Senders may assume you wrote it personally, even though it is automated. This is normal and expected.

Emails that arrive while your automatic reply is on still go into your inbox. The reply does not delete or sort them — it just sends a message back to the sender. When you return and turn off automatic replies, no message goes back to new incoming email.

Turning off automatic replies when you return

If you set an end date and time when you turned on automatic replies, they will stop automatically at that moment. You do not need to do anything.

If you did not set an end date, you must turn off automatic replies manually. Go back to the same menu where you turned them on: File > Automatic Replies (desktop) or the gear icon > Automatic replies (web). Uncheck the box next to Send automatic replies or toggle the switch to Off. Click Save or OK.

After you turn off automatic replies, no more replies will be sent to incoming email. Emails that arrived while the reply was on will still be in your inbox waiting for you.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

The most common mistake is forgetting to turn off automatic replies after you return. If you did not set an end date, set a phone reminder for your first day back at work to turn them off. Alternatively, always set a specific end date when you turn on the feature — this removes the risk of leaving it on by accident.

Another mistake is writing a reply that is too long or too personal. Keep it to one or two sentences. Do not include your phone number, home address, or other personal details in an automatic reply that goes to external senders.

If you use Outlook at work, do not mention specific reasons for your absence (such as a medical appointment or personal matter) in a reply that goes outside your organization. A straightforward "I am out of the office" is enough.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will people outside my company see my automatic reply?

Yes, unless your workplace has disabled external automatic replies for security reasons. If you see the option to send different replies to inside and outside senders, you can choose to send a reply only to people in your organization. Check with your IT department about your company's policy.

Can I send different replies to different people?

No. Automatic replies in Outlook send the same message to everyone who emails you. If you need to send different messages to specific people, you would need to email them individually instead. The automatic reply feature does not support custom messages per sender.

What if I set the wrong end date?

You can change it anytime. Go back to the automatic replies menu, update the date and time, and save. The new end time will take effect when ready. If you already turned off automatic replies and want to turn them back on, you can do that the same way.

Do automatic replies count as responses to the original email?

No. An automatic reply is a separate message that lets the sender know you received their email. It does not mark their original message as answered or resolved in any tracking system. You will still need to read and respond to their actual message when you return.

Can I schedule an automatic reply to start in the future?

Yes. When you turn on automatic replies, check the box for Only send during this time range and set a start date in the future. The replies will not begin until that date and time arrives. This is useful if you want to set up your out-of-office message before you leave.