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When you are on vacation or out sick, people who email you have no idea why you are not answering. Clients wait, colleagues chase you, and you come back to a pile of follow-ups asking whether you got the first message.
Automatic Replies sends your message to anyone who emails you during the time range you choose. You can write one message for colleagues on your company domain and a different one for people outside the organization.
The setting lives in your mailbox, so what you set in the desktop app also shows in Outlook on the web.
What you need
- A Microsoft 365 or Exchange email account in Outlook
- Outlook desktop (classic Outlook) or Outlook on the web
- Your out of office message text
Step by step
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01
Open Automatic Replies in Outlook desktop
In classic Outlook, select File. On the Info page, select Automatic Replies (Out of Office).
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02
Turn it on and set the dates
Choose Send automatic replies. Check Only send during this time range and set the start and end date and time, for example from today until the day you return.
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03
Write the message for your organization
On the Inside My Organization tab, type or paste your reply. You can change the font size and make text bold. This goes to people with the same company email domain.
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04
Write the message for people outside
Open the Outside My Organization tab and paste the same message, or write a different one for clients and vendors. Select OK. A banner in Outlook confirms that automatic replies are being sent.
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05
Test it and turn it off
Send a test email to your address from another account. You get your automatic reply back within a few moments. To stop replies early, select Turn off on the banner or choose Do not send automatic replies.
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06
Set it up in Outlook on the web
In Outlook on the web, select Settings (gear icon) > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Automatic replies (in newer versions this sits under Account). Turn on automatic replies, check the option to send replies only during a time period, and set the end date. Write or check the message for inside and outside your organization, then select Save. If you already set a message in the desktop app, it appears here too.
Tips and common problems
- Always set an end date with the time range option, so replies stop on their own when you are back.
- The message is stored in your mailbox, so a reply you set in the desktop app also appears in Outlook on the web.
- In classic Outlook, the Rules button in the Automatic Replies window lets you add conditions, such as forwarding emails from a particular contact while you are away.
Quick version
Want the short take? This quick video covers setting a custom out of office message, using different messages for people inside and outside your organization, and the advanced rules option, which can do things like forward an email when it comes from a particular contact.
Questions
How do I turn on Out of Office in Outlook?
In classic Outlook go to File > Automatic Replies, choose Send automatic replies, set a time range and write your message. In Outlook on the web, open Settings and find Automatic replies.
Can I send a different out of office message to external senders?
Yes. Automatic Replies has separate Inside My Organization and Outside My Organization messages.
Why don't I see Automatic Replies in the Outlook File menu?
Automatic Replies appears for Microsoft 365 and Exchange accounts. It is not shown for POP or IMAP accounts.
Do I need to set Out of Office on both desktop and web?
No. The setting is saved to your mailbox, so turning it on in one place turns it on everywhere.
