Set your out of office message in three steps

An out of office message tells people who email you that you are away and when you will return. In Outlook on the web, go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right), then Mail, then Automatic replies. Turn on the toggle, write your message, set the dates you will be away, and save. In Outlook desktop, go to File, then Automatic Replies, and follow the same steps.

Your message goes out once to each person who emails you during your absence. It does not stop mail from arriving — it just lets senders know you are not reading it right now. You can set different messages for people inside your organization and people outside it, which is useful if you work for a company and want to give internal colleagues a different contact person than external clients.

The message takes effect when ready after you save it, so set it just before you leave. If you forget and set it after you have already gone, it will still work for any mail that arrives while it is turned on.

Key Takeaways

  • Out of office messages are set in Outlook Settings under Automatic Replies, and you can turn them on and off from anywhere you have internet access.
  • Your message sends once per person during your absence and does not prevent mail from arriving or being read by others with access to your account.
  • You can write one message for people inside your organization and a different one for people outside it, such as clients or vendors.
  • Set your dates carefully — the message turns on when ready and stays on until the end date you choose, even if you return early.
  • If you share your calendar with colleagues, they can see your out of office block and know not to schedule meetings during that time.

Where to find automatic replies in Outlook on the web

Open Outlook in your web browser and look for the gear icon in the top right corner of the page. Click it and select View all Outlook settings. On the left side, click Mail, then scroll down and click Automatic replies. You will see a toggle to turn the feature on.

Once you turn on the toggle, two text boxes appear. The first is for your message to people inside your organization (if you work for one). The second is for people outside your organization. You do not have to fill both — if you only fill the external message, only people outside your organization will see it. If you work for yourself or a small business, you may only need one message for everyone.

Where to find automatic replies in Outlook desktop

Open Outlook on your computer and click File in the top left. Scroll down and click Automatic Replies. A window will open with the same options as the web version: a toggle to turn it on, text boxes for your messages, and date fields.

If you use Outlook on multiple devices, set your out of office message on the web version (Outlook.com or your organization's web portal) rather than the desktop app. The web version syncs across all your devices, so you only have to set it once. The desktop version may not sync to your phone or tablet.

What to write in your out of office message

Keep your message short — one or two sentences is enough. Tell people when you will return and, if helpful, who they should contact if they need something urgent. For example: "I am out of the office until January 15 and will reply to your email when I return. For urgent matters, please contact Sarah at sarah@company.com."

Do not include personal details like your home address, phone number, or travel plans. Do not mention that your account is unattended or that mail is piling up — this information can be useful to someone trying to break in. Keep the tone professional and brief, even if you are out of office for a vacation.

Set the correct start and end dates

When you turn on automatic replies, you will see two date fields: one for when your message starts and one for when it stops. The start date is usually today or tomorrow. The end date should be the day you return to work and will start reading mail again.

Be careful with the end date. If you set it for January 15 but return on January 14, your message will still go out to anyone who emails you on January 14. If you return early, log back into Outlook and turn off the toggle manually rather than waiting for the end date to arrive.

Some people set the end date one day after they return, which gives them a buffer to catch up on mail without the message still going out. This is a personal choice — there is no wrong answer as long as you remember to turn it off.

Different messages for internal and external senders

If you work for an organization, Outlook lets you write one message for colleagues inside your company and a different one for people outside it. This is useful because you might tell colleagues to contact your manager, but tell external clients to contact your company's main phone line.

To use this feature, turn on the toggle and you will see two text boxes. The first says "Send replies only to my organization" and the second says "Send replies to people outside my organization." Fill in whichever ones you need. If you only fill the external box, only people outside your organization will get a message — colleagues will not see anything.

Turn off your out of office message when you return

When you come back to work, log into Outlook and go back to Automatic Replies. Click the toggle to turn it off. If you set an end date and that date has passed, the message will have already stopped going out, but it is still good practice to turn off the toggle so you know the feature is not active.

If you did not set an end date, your message will keep going out to everyone who emails you until you manually turn it off. This is why setting a date is important — it prevents you from accidentally sending an out of office message weeks after you have returned.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can people still email me while my out of office message is on?

Yes. Your out of office message does not block incoming mail or prevent people from emailing you. It only sends them a reply letting them know you are away. All their emails arrive in your inbox normally and will be there when you return.

Will my out of office message send to spam or marketing emails?

No. Outlook is smart enough not to send automatic replies to mailing lists, newsletters, or automated messages. It only sends your message to real people who email you directly.

What happens if I set an out of office message and then change my return date?

Log back into Automatic Replies and update the end date. Your message will keep going out until the new date you set. If you return early and do not want to wait for the end date, just turn off the toggle manually.

Can my boss or coworkers see my out of office message before I send it?

No. Your out of office message is private until you turn it on. Only people who email you while it is active will see it. Your colleagues cannot view it in advance unless you share it with them yourself.

Does my out of office message work if someone emails me from a different email service?

Yes. Your out of office message sends to anyone who emails your Outlook address, regardless of what email service they use. It works the same way whether they use Gmail, Yahoo, or another Outlook account.