Set your out of office message in Outlook before you leave
An out of office reply tells people who email you that you are away and when you will return. In Outlook on the web (the version you access through a browser), you can turn this on in about two minutes. On Outlook desktop (the program you install on your computer), the process is slightly different but equally straightforward. Both versions let you write a custom message and choose when the replies start and stop.
The main reason to set this up is so people do not think you are ignoring them. A good out of office message also tells them who to contact if their matter is urgent, which keeps work moving while you are gone.
Key Takeaways
- Outlook on the web requires you to go to Settings, then Mail, then Automatic Replies to turn on your out of office message.
- Outlook desktop uses the File menu, then Automatic Replies, and the steps are the same but the menu path is different.
- You can set a start date and end date so replies turn on and off automatically without you having to remember to disable them.
- Your message should include when you will return and who to contact for urgent matters, so senders know what to expect.
- Out of office replies only go to people outside your organization by default in Outlook desktop, but you can change this setting.
How to set up out of office in Outlook on the web
Open Outlook in your web browser and sign in. Look for the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen. Click it and select View all Outlook settings from the dropdown menu.
In the settings panel on the left, click Mail, then scroll down and click Automatic Replies. You will see a toggle switch next to "Turn on automatic replies". Click it to turn the feature on. A text box will appear where you can type your message.
Write a message that tells people you are away and when you will return. For example: "I am out of the office until January 15 and will respond to your email when I return. For urgent matters, please contact Sarah at sarah.jones@company.com." Keep it brief — most people only read the first two sentences.
Below the message box, you will see options to set a start date and end date. Click in the "Start time" field and enter the date and time you want replies to begin. Click in the "End time" field and enter when you want them to stop. Outlook will automatically turn off your replies at the end time, so you do not have to remember to disable it yourself.
How to set up out of office in Outlook desktop
Open Outlook on your computer. Click the File menu at the top left. Look for Automatic Replies (sometimes labeled "Out of Office Assistant" in older versions) and click it. A dialog box will open.
Check the box next to Send automatic replies. A text field will appear where you can type your message. Write the same kind of message you would use in Outlook on the web — include your return date and a contact person for urgent matters.
If you want your replies to start and stop on specific dates, click the Only send during this time range checkbox. Two date fields will appear. Enter the start date in the first field and the end date in the second. When the end date arrives, Outlook will stop sending replies automatically.
Before you click OK, look for a setting that says Send replies to people outside my organization or similar wording. By default, Outlook desktop only sends replies to people within your company. If you want external contacts to receive your message too, make sure this box is checked.
What to include in your out of office message
A useful out of office message answers three questions: When are you back? Who should people contact if it is urgent? And is there anything they should do in the meantime? You do not need to answer all three, but the more you include, the fewer follow-up emails you will get.
Keep the tone professional but friendly. "I am out of the office until Friday, January 17, and will respond to your message when I return" works well. If you want to add a contact person, write: "For urgent matters, please reach out to Marcus at marcus.chen@company.com." If your work involves time-sensitive tasks, you might add: "If this is about the Johnson project, please contact the project team directly."
Avoid apologizing for being away or over-explaining. People understand that everyone takes time off. A message longer than three sentences usually does not get read in full.
Turn off your out of office reply when you return
If you set an end date when you created your reply, Outlook will turn it off automatically and you do not need to do anything. If you did not set an end date, you will need to turn it off manually when you return.
In Outlook on the web, go back to Settings, Mail, Automatic Replies, and click the toggle to turn it off. In Outlook desktop, go to File, Automatic Replies, and uncheck the "Send automatic replies" box. This takes about 30 seconds and prevents people from receiving your out of office message weeks after you have returned.
Common problems and how to fix them
If your out of office reply is not sending, the most common reason is that you did not actually turn on the feature. In Outlook on the web, make sure the toggle switch is blue and in the "on" position. In Outlook desktop, make sure the checkbox next to "Send automatic replies" is checked, not just the time range box.
If only some people are receiving your reply, check whether you limited replies to a specific time range. If the current date falls outside that range, no one will receive the message. Also check whether you have the "send to external contacts" setting turned on in Outlook desktop — if it is off, only people in your organization will see your reply.
If your message is not appearing the way you wrote it, Outlook may have reformatted the text. Try removing any extra line breaks or special characters and rewriting it in plain text. Some versions of Outlook do not display fancy formatting in automatic replies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I send different out of office messages to different people?
No. Outlook sends the same message to everyone who emails you during the time your automatic replies are on. If you need to send different messages to different groups, you would have to create separate rules, which requires more advanced setup. For most situations, one message that mentions a contact person for urgent matters works well enough.
What happens if I get an email while my out of office is on?
The email arrives in your inbox normally. Your automatic reply is a separate message that goes back to the sender — it does not affect how you receive mail. When you return and turn off your out of office, all the emails you received while away will still be there waiting for you.
Will my out of office reply send to mailing lists or group emails?
Usually yes, but it depends on how the mailing list is set up. If you are concerned about sending replies to a large group, you can mention in your message that you will respond to individual emails when you return, which discourages people from replying to group messages.
Can I edit my out of office message while I am away?
Yes. You can sign into Outlook on the web from anywhere and change your message or turn off replies at any time. If you are using Outlook desktop, you would need to open the program on your computer to make changes.
Do I need to turn off my out of office before I leave, or after I return?
You turn it on before you leave. If you set an end date, it turns off automatically on that date. If you did not set an end date, you turn it off manually after you return and are ready to respond to emails again.