Set Out of Office in Outlook on the Web: Step-by-Step

To set an out-of-office reply in Outlook on the web, open Settings, find Automatic replies, turn them on, write your message, and save. You can also set a start and end time so Outlook sends the reply only while you are away. This tells people who email you that you may not respond promptly and, if you choose, provides a useful alternative contact.

What You’ll Need

Access to your Outlook on the web mailbox through a supported Microsoft account, such as a Microsoft 365 work or school account or Outlook.com account.
A draft of your reply, including the dates you will be unavailable and, if appropriate, the name or contact details of someone who can help.
The correct time zone and dates for your absence. If you are scheduling the reply, check your mailbox’s time zone as well as the calendar dates.

You do not need to leave Outlook open after saving the setting. Automatic replies are handled by the mailbox, not by a browser tab that must remain running. If you manage a shared mailbox or another person’s mailbox, you may need permission to change its settings.

Step-by-Step

Sign in to the mailbox you want to update. Open Outlook on the web in a browser and confirm the account or mailbox name shown at the top of the page. This matters if you have several accounts open: an automatic reply set on your personal mailbox will not necessarily apply to a shared mailbox, and vice versa. If you are using a work or school account, use the Outlook web address provided by your organization.
Open Outlook settings. Select the gear-shaped Settings button near the upper-right corner. In the settings pane, look for Automatic replies. Depending on the Outlook web layout and account type, the path may appear as Accounts > Automatic replies or Mail > Automatic replies. If you do not see the option in the first pane, choose View all Outlook settings and look under the relevant section. Some versions also let you search settings for “Automatic replies.”
Turn on automatic replies. Select the toggle or checkbox labeled Turn on automatic replies or simply Automatic replies. The control’s wording can vary, but make sure the setting is enabled before leaving the page. If you only want to prepare a message without sending it yet, do not switch the feature on; save or draft your wording elsewhere until you are ready.
Choose whether the reply should run for a set period. If you know when you will be away, select the option to send replies only during a time period. Enter the start and end dates and, where offered, the times. Check that the start time is not in the past and that the end time is after the start. The mailbox’s time zone controls how the schedule is interpreted, so verify it if you work across regions or are scheduling while travelling. If you leave the schedule option off, the reply generally stays enabled until you turn it off yourself.
Write the message for people inside your organization. In the message box, state that you are away, when you expect to return or respond, and what the sender should do if the matter is urgent. For example: “I am away from November 10 through November 14 and will respond when I return. For urgent account questions, contact Jordan Lee at the service desk.” Keep the message factual and concise. Do not include confidential details, passwords, travel plans, or personal information that does not need to be shared.
Decide whether to send replies outside your organization. If the setting is available, enable replies to people outside your organization only if external senders need to know you are away. You may be able to limit those replies to people in your contacts, or allow replies to all external senders. The all-senders option can disclose your absence to people you do not know, including mailing lists, so choose deliberately. Add an external message if Outlook provides a separate box; tailor it for customers or other outside contacts rather than assuming they understand internal team names or procedures.
Review any additional options. Some versions offer choices such as blocking your calendar for the period, declining new meeting invitations, or clearing existing calendar events. These are separate from the email reply. Turn them on only if you intend Outlook to take those calendar actions; declining invitations can affect meetings you might otherwise want to keep. If the settings page does not show these options, you can manage your calendar separately.
Save the change and verify it. Select Save if the page presents a save button. Some layouts apply changes when you close the pane, but do not assume they were saved: look for a confirmation or reopen Automatic replies to check that the toggle, schedule, and text are still set. If practical, send a brief test message from another account and confirm the response arrives. Avoid repeatedly testing from the same address, because mail systems may limit repeated automatic replies to an individual sender.
Turn the reply off when your absence ends, if needed. If you set an end time, Outlook should stop sending replies when that time arrives. If you did not set a schedule, return to Automatic replies and switch the feature off when you are back. You can also update the message if your return date changes. Check the right mailbox again before changing anything, especially if you have both a personal and a shared account open.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to enable the feature. Writing a message is not enough if the automatic-reply toggle remains off. Before closing Settings, confirm that the feature is enabled and that your message appears in the correct box.
Leaving an unscheduled reply running. Without a time period, you may need to turn the reply off manually. A stale message can tell people you are still away after you have returned. If your return date is known, scheduling an end time is a useful safeguard.
Entering the wrong dates or time zone. A schedule that starts late, ends too early, or uses an unexpected time zone can leave a gap or send replies at the wrong time. Review both the date and time fields, especially around midnight, daylight-saving changes, or travel.
Sending an internal message to external contacts. Internal wording such as “ask my manager” may not help a customer, and internal names or details may not be suitable to disclose. If you enable external replies, use a separate, audience-appropriate message when the option is available.
Assuming an auto-reply is a forwarding or monitoring system. The feature notifies senders; it does not ensure someone else reads your incoming mail. If another person must handle requests, arrange mailbox access or forwarding through your organization’s approved process rather than relying on the reply alone.
Changing the wrong mailbox. A shared mailbox may have its own automatic-reply settings. Confirm the mailbox identity before editing, and make sure you have the necessary permissions.

Tips

Make the message useful at a glance. Put the fact that you are away first, give a realistic response date, and provide one clear next step for urgent matters. If you do not have a backup contact, say when you expect to respond instead of directing people to a person who has not agreed to cover.

Use a separate internal and external message when the settings allow it. Colleagues may need to know which team is covering your work, while outside senders usually need a general point of contact. Before enabling external replies to all senders, consider whether a contact-only option is enough. A reply can confirm that an address is active, so avoid sharing sensitive information or a detailed itinerary.

For a long absence, schedule the start and end in advance, then revisit the setting if your plans change. You can open Outlook on the web from another device to update the dates, provided you can sign in. If you are responsible for multiple mailboxes, keep a short checklist of which ones need a reply and who is authorized to change each one.

Remember that an automatic reply is not a promise that every sender will receive a new message for every email they send. Mail systems commonly avoid sending repeated replies to the same person during an absence, and organization policies can affect external replies. Use the feature as a notification, not as proof that a message was delivered to a backup contact or handled.

Troubleshooting

Automatic replies is missing from Settings. First choose View all Outlook settings and check both Accounts and Mail, since the menu location varies. Confirm that you are in Outlook on the web and signed in to the intended mailbox. Some account types or organization configurations may not expose the feature. If it is a work or school mailbox and the option remains unavailable, contact your Microsoft 365 administrator; policies or mailbox configuration may need attention.

The reply does not arrive when you test it. Check that automatic replies are turned on, that the current time falls within the scheduled period, and that the message was saved. Test from a different email address and allow a little time for delivery. If you have already tested from that address, the system may suppress repeated replies to the same sender. For an external test, confirm that replies outside your organization are enabled and that your test address is not excluded by a contacts-only setting. Also check junk mail and any organization mail rules.

Only people inside the organization receive the reply. Reopen Automatic replies and inspect the external-sender setting. It may be off, limited to contacts, or configured with a separate external message that was left blank. Your organization may also restrict external automatic replies for security reasons. If the setting appears correct but external senders still receive nothing, ask your administrator whether an Exchange or mail-flow policy is blocking them.

The response keeps appearing after you return. Reopen the setting for the mailbox that sent it. If no end time was set, disable automatic replies and save. If a schedule was set, check its end date, end time, and time zone. If the response is coming from a shared mailbox or another account, changing your personal mailbox will not stop it; identify the sending address and update that mailbox instead.

You cannot change a shared mailbox reply. Make sure you have permission to access and manage that mailbox, and open the shared mailbox itself rather than editing your own account. If it is not available as a selectable mailbox or the settings are read-only, ask the mailbox owner or administrator to grant access or make the change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set an out-of-office reply without keeping Outlook open?
Yes. Once the setting is saved, the mailbox handles the reply. You can close the browser or sign out; the scheduled reply does not depend on your computer staying on.

Can I set different replies for coworkers and external senders?
Many Outlook on the web accounts provide separate internal and external message boxes. If you see both, write an appropriate message in each and choose who can receive the external one. The available choices depend on your account and organization settings.

Will Outlook send the reply to every email from the same person?
Usually not. To avoid sending repeated messages, Outlook or the mail service may send an automatic reply only once to a sender during the active period. Exact behavior can depend on the account and organization configuration.

Can I schedule an out-of-office reply for a future date?
Yes, if the time-period option is available. Turn on the schedule and enter the future start and end dates and times. Review the mailbox time zone so the reply starts and stops when you intend.

How do I turn off the reply early?
Open Settings, return to Automatic replies for the correct mailbox, switch the feature off, and save if prompted. This overrides the planned end date. If the reply continues, check whether another mailbox is sending it.

Is an out-of-office reply the same as forwarding my mail?
No. It sends a notice to people who email you; it does not automatically route incoming messages to a colleague. Set up forwarding or mailbox delegation separately if your organization permits and you need another person to handle the mail.

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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