How to Set Out of Office Hours in Outlook: Desktop & Web

To set out-of-office hours in Outlook, open Automatic replies, turn on automatic replies, choose the start and end date and time, write your message, and save. Scheduling is available in Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook on the web, and Outlook for Mac, though the menu path varies. You will need access to the mailbox and, for work or school accounts, your organization may control whether you can send replies outside the organization.

What You’ll Need

Access to the Outlook mailbox you want to set up. If you manage more than one account, check that you have selected the right one.
The dates and local times when the replies should start and stop, plus a message for colleagues or other senders.
For a work or school mailbox, an Exchange or Microsoft 365 account with automatic replies enabled. If the setting is missing or unavailable, your administrator may need to help.

Step-by-Step

Open the automatic-reply settings. In classic Outlook for Windows, select File > Automatic Replies. In the new Outlook for Windows, select the gear icon for Settings, then Accounts > Automatic replies. In Outlook on the web, select the gear icon, choose Mail > Automatic replies, and, if necessary, select View all Outlook settings to find the Mail section. In Outlook for Mac, open Tools > Automatic Replies. Menu labels can vary slightly by update; if you cannot find the option, search Outlook settings for Automatic replies.
Turn on automatic replies. In classic Outlook for Windows, select Send automatic replies. In the new Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Mac, switch on the automatic-replies control. If you use a personal Outlook.com account, open its settings and look for Mail > Automatic replies. Make sure you are changing the mailbox that will be unattended, not a different connected account.
Set the start and end time. Select the option to send replies only during a time period, or the equivalent scheduling control. Enter the date and time you want replies to begin and the date and time they should end. For example, to cover a Friday afternoon through Monday morning, set the Friday start time and the Monday return time. Check whether the time fields use a 12-hour or 24-hour clock, and verify AM or PM when shown.
Check the time zone and dates. Outlook normally applies the mailbox or account time-zone settings to the schedule. If you are travelling or your calendar is set to another time zone, confirm which local time the start and end fields represent. Review the calendar dates too: a schedule that begins at midnight on Monday does not cover Sunday evening, even if that is when your trip begins.
Write the message for people inside your organization. Use the internal-message box when it is available. State that you are away, when you expect to return, and what a colleague should do if a matter is urgent. For example: I am away from email until Tuesday, 12 May. For urgent account questions, please contact Jordan Lee at the support desk. Only include contact details that are appropriate to share with your coworkers.
Choose whether to reply to people outside your organization. In classic Outlook, open the Outside My Organization tab and select the option to send external replies if you need them. Depending on the version, you may be able to limit replies to your contacts or send them to all external senders. In other versions, look for a separate external-senders setting. If your organization has disabled external replies, the choice may be unavailable. Keep the external message general and do not include internal phone numbers, schedules, or confidential details.
Save or confirm the schedule. Select OK, Save, or the equivalent button to apply the settings. Some Outlook versions save automatically when you switch on the feature; still, confirm that the control remains on and the scheduled dates appear. In classic Outlook, select OK to close the Automatic Replies window. Do not close the setup window before accepting any unsaved changes.
Check the result and turn it off if plans change. Reopen the same settings and verify the time range and message. If you return earlier than expected, switch automatic replies off manually rather than relying on the original end time. If the schedule is correct, no extra action is usually needed at the end: Outlook stops sending replies when the scheduled period expires.

These steps schedule automatic replies; they do not change your calendar working hours or mark every appointment as out of office. If you also need to show colleagues that you are unavailable, add an out-of-office event to your calendar separately. That calendar event and the automatic-reply schedule are related but distinct settings.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to enable the time-range option. Entering dates alone may not activate a schedule if the checkbox or switch is off. Check both the schedule control and the main automatic-replies control before saving.
Choosing the wrong mailbox. People with a work account, a personal Outlook.com address, and shared mailboxes can easily change the wrong settings. Check the account name or mailbox address at the top of the window first.
Leaving the end time too early or too late. A Monday 8 a.m. return setting may stop replies while you are still travelling, while an end date set to the following week can make the message misleading. Use the actual time you expect to resume checking email.
Assuming external replies are on by default. Some Outlook setups send replies only to coworkers unless you enable external replies. Check the outside-organization setting if customers or suppliers need to know you are away.
Putting sensitive information in the message. External automatic replies can reach people you do not know. Avoid sharing confidential project details, travel plans, personal contact information, or information about other employees.
Expecting a reply for every incoming email. Outlook and Exchange may limit repeated automatic replies to the same sender during an absence period. Automatic replies acknowledge that you are away; they are not a reliable message-delivery or ticketing system.

Tips

Use a precise return date rather than saying only that you will be back soon. If you are unsure of the time, say when you expect to respond instead of promising an exact hour.
Keep internal and external messages different when Outlook offers separate boxes. Coworkers may need a teammate’s name, while external senders usually need only a general return date and an approved alternative contact.
Set the start time shortly before you stop checking email, not after you have already left. For a planned absence, you can schedule replies in advance so they begin without you signing in at the time.
If you have access to a shared mailbox, ask its owner or administrator who should receive automatic replies. A reply from a shared address can affect customers and colleagues who use that mailbox.
If you are using a computer that is not always connected, prefer server-side automatic replies for a Microsoft 365 or Exchange mailbox. Those are handled by the mail service, so Outlook does not generally need to remain open on your computer.
For a short absence, keep the note brief and actionable: say you are away, give the expected return date, and identify an alternative route for urgent requests. A long explanation is rarely useful to someone who has just emailed you.

Troubleshooting

The Automatic Replies option is missing. Confirm that Outlook is signed in to the correct work or school account and that the mailbox is an Exchange or Microsoft 365 mailbox. Some POP or IMAP accounts do not provide server-side automatic replies in Outlook. For a personal Outlook.com mailbox, open Outlook.com in a browser and check its Mail settings. If the setting is still absent for a work account, contact your IT administrator; your organization may manage or restrict the feature.

Replies are not going out at the scheduled time. Reopen the settings and check that automatic replies are enabled, the schedule is selected, and the start and end dates are correct. Check the time zone associated with the account, especially if you recently travelled or changed regional settings. Send a test email from a different address after the start time, but remember that an automatic reply may be sent only once to that sender during the absence period. A message sent before the start time is not a reliable test of the scheduled reply.

Only coworkers receive a reply. Review the outside-organization option and make sure it is enabled if your organization allows it. Check whether the setting is limited to contacts; a customer who is not in your contacts may not qualify. If the external option is greyed out or missing, ask your administrator whether the organization blocks external automatic replies.

The message or time range will not save. Reopen the settings, correct any missing or invalid date and time, and select the save or confirmation button. If Outlook is offline or displaying a connection error, reconnect and try again. In the desktop app, restarting Outlook can help refresh the view, but verify the settings afterward rather than assuming they were saved. In a managed work account, ask IT for help if the settings revert or cannot be changed.

Replies continue after you return. Turn off automatic replies manually and confirm the switch is off. If another device or mail client manages the same mailbox, check its settings too. Rules or third-party services can also send separate messages, so review those if the automatic-reply setting is already disabled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set out-of-office replies for only a few hours?

Yes. Set the start and end times on the same date, using the scheduling fields in Automatic replies. Make sure the date is correct and check the AM or PM designation. If your version offers only dates and no time fields, use Outlook on the web or the supported desktop app for that mailbox, or ask your administrator about the available options.

Do I need to leave Outlook open?

For a Microsoft 365 or Exchange mailbox with server-side automatic replies, Outlook normally does not need to stay open. The mail service applies the schedule. Some non-Exchange accounts rely on a local rule or another setup, so they may behave differently; check the account type and keep the required app or device available if its instructions say replies depend on it.

Will Outlook send a reply to every message from the same person?

Not necessarily. Exchange and Outlook commonly avoid sending repeated automatic replies to the same sender during one absence period. Do not use the feature to confirm that every email has arrived or been read. If someone needs an immediate response, provide a monitored alternative contact in the message.

Can I use a different message for coworkers and external senders?

Yes, when your Outlook version shows separate internal and outside-organization message boxes. Write an appropriate note in each one. If the external message field or sending option is unavailable, your account or administrator may not permit a separate external reply.

Is an automatic reply the same as setting my calendar to Out of Office?

No. Automatic replies send a message to people who email you. A calendar event marked Out of Office shows your availability to people checking your calendar and can affect meeting scheduling. Set both if you need both an email response and a visible calendar absence.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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