How to Set Your Out of Office in New Outlook: Step by Step

In New Outlook, open Settings (the gear icon), go to Accounts > Automatic replies, turn on automatic replies, enter your message, and save. You can also set a start and end time so replies switch on and off automatically. Before you begin, make sure you are signed in to the account whose messages you want to cover.

What You’ll Need

Access to the correct Outlook account and an internet connection.
Your planned first and last day away, including the time and time zone if you are scheduling replies.
A short message that says when you expect to return and who to contact for urgent matters.
If you want to reply to people outside your organization, permission to send external automatic replies. Your administrator may control this option.

Step-by-Step

Open the settings for the right account. In New Outlook for Windows or Outlook on the web, select the gear icon in the upper-right corner. In New Outlook, choose Accounts, then Automatic replies. If you are using Outlook.com and do not see that route, open Mail > Automatic replies instead. When more than one mailbox is connected, confirm that the settings belong to the address you want to use.
Turn on automatic replies. Switch on Automatic replies or the similarly named control. If the setting is unavailable, check that the correct account is selected and signed in. Some account types, including many IMAP or POP accounts added to Outlook, do not offer server-based automatic replies in Outlook. For those accounts, set a vacation response through the email provider’s own website or app.
Choose whether to schedule the reply. To have Outlook manage the timing, turn on the option such as Send replies only during a time period. Enter the start and end dates and times. Check the time zone shown by your mailbox: a schedule can begin earlier or later than expected if your computer and mailbox use different zones. If there is no scheduling option, you can turn replies on manually, but you will need to return and switch them off.
Set the first and last moments carefully. Use the time you actually want the reply to start, not just the date. For example, if your last workday ends at 5 p.m. Friday, choose Friday at 5 p.m. rather than midnight if you do not want replies sent earlier. Set the end time for when you are ready to handle incoming mail again. Outlook stops the scheduled reply after that end time; it does not send a special message announcing your return.
Write the message for people inside your organization. In the message box, state that you are away, give a return date if you know it, and name an alternative contact when appropriate. Keep the note useful but avoid including private travel plans, personal phone numbers, or details that should not go to every sender. For example: I’m away from email until Tuesday, June 16. For order questions, please contact Jordan Lee at the usual team address. Replace the example details with information approved for your workplace.
Decide whether to reply to external senders. If you need to notify customers, suppliers, or other people outside your organization, enable Send replies outside your organization. Depending on your account, you may be able to send to all external senders or only to people in your contacts. Review the external message separately: it should not reveal internal procedures, staff-only contact details, or sensitive information. If the external option is missing or disabled, your organization may have restricted it.
Review optional calendar controls. Some work or school accounts show options to block your calendar or decline meetings during the automatic-reply period. These affect meeting invitations; they are separate from the email message. Read each option before enabling it. If you want to remain available for a particular meeting, do not automatically decline invitations without checking how the setting treats existing events and new requests.
Save and verify the setup. Select Save if the pane provides a save button, then close Settings. Reopen Automatic replies and confirm that the switch, scheduled dates, and message are correct. If you want to be certain what an external recipient sees, ask a trusted person outside the organization to send a test message after the reply period begins. Avoid testing by repeatedly emailing yourself, since Outlook may not send a fresh automatic reply for every message from the same sender.
Turn replies off when you are back if they were not scheduled. Open the same settings page and switch off automatic replies. If you set an end time, confirm that it is correct rather than assuming the setting will stop on the date you intended. If you return early, disable the reply manually so new senders are not told you are still away.

Common Mistakes

Setting the reply on the wrong mailbox: A shared mailbox, work address, and personal address can all appear in one Outlook window. Automatic replies are configured per account, so a message on one address does not necessarily cover the others. Check the account name before you edit the setting.

Forgetting the end time: Turning replies on without a schedule can leave them active after you return. If scheduling is available, use it; otherwise add a reminder to your calendar to turn the feature off. Also check the end time, not just the end date.

Assuming every account supports the feature: Outlook can display mail from several providers, but it may not control their vacation-response settings. If the automatic-reply control is absent for a connected Gmail, IMAP, or POP account, check that provider’s settings rather than creating an Outlook rule and assuming it will work while the app is closed.

Sending internal details to everyone: An external reply may reach people you do not know, including mailing lists. Keep the public version brief and do not include confidential project details or an employee’s personal contact information.

Expecting one reply for every incoming email: Automatic replies are not a delivery receipt or a promise that you have read a message. Outlook and the mail service commonly limit repeated replies to the same sender during an absence period. Tell important contacts how to escalate instead of relying on repeated messages to get your attention.

Tips

Use a clear return date, but do not promise a response at a precise time unless you can meet that commitment. “I’ll respond after I return on Tuesday” is safer than “I’ll reply first thing Tuesday.”
Provide an alternative route for urgent requests, such as a team inbox or colleague’s work address. Confirm that the person or team has agreed to handle those requests before naming them.
Keep internal and external messages distinct when Outlook offers separate message boxes. The internal version can mention team coverage; the external version should contain only details suitable for anyone who emails you.
Check both the date and time after changing your schedule, especially around weekends, holidays, or travel across time zones. If you work across regions, state the return date clearly in the message.
For a shared mailbox, configure its replies while it is selected, and confirm that you have permission to manage its settings. Your personal mailbox’s out-of-office status may not apply to that shared address.

Troubleshooting

The Automatic replies setting is missing. First confirm that you are in New Outlook rather than a different mail app and that the correct account is selected. If it is a work or school account, ask your Microsoft 365 administrator whether automatic replies are allowed. For Gmail or another third-party account, use the provider’s vacation-response settings; Outlook may simply be displaying that mailbox rather than hosting it.

Replies are not being sent. Check that automatic replies are switched on, the current time falls within the scheduled period, and the start and end dates use the intended time zone. Verify that the message was saved. For external senders, confirm that external replies are enabled and not restricted to contacts. If internal replies work but external ones do not, an organization policy may be blocking external responses.

People say they received an outdated message. Reopen the settings and inspect both the internal and external message boxes; changing one may not change the other. Save the revised text and check the schedule. A sender may have received an earlier automatic reply and may not receive another during the same absence, so ask them to send a new message only if they need to verify the updated wording.

The reply keeps going after you return. Open the Automatic replies page and switch the feature off. Then inspect the schedule for an incorrect end date, time, or time zone. If the mailbox is shared or you have multiple accounts, make sure you turned off the setting on the address that is sending the response.

A rule seems to be interfering. Review any rules that move, forward, or delete incoming messages, but do not assume a desktop rule is the same as an automatic reply. Rules can behave differently depending on whether Outlook is running, and they may not provide server-side out-of-office coverage. Prefer the account’s built-in Automatic replies setting when it is available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does New Outlook send out-of-office replies while my computer is off?

For a supported Microsoft 365 or Exchange mailbox, automatic replies are generally handled by the mail service, so Outlook does not need to stay open. For an unsupported account using a local rule, replies may depend on Outlook being open and connected. Use the provider’s own vacation-response feature when Outlook does not offer built-in automatic replies.

Can I set a different message for people inside and outside my organization?

Many work or school accounts let you write an internal message and enable a separate external reply. The available controls depend on your account and organization policy. Keep the external note suitable for people who are not colleagues.

Will every person receive a reply every time they email me?

No. Automatic replies are commonly limited so the same sender is not repeatedly sent the out-of-office message during one absence period. The exact behavior can depend on the mailbox service. Do not use the feature to confirm that you have received or read each email.

Can I set an out-of-office reply for only one day?

Yes. Turn on the scheduling option and set a start and end time on the same date. Check the time zone and make sure the end time is later than the start time. If you do not have a scheduling option, turn replies off manually when the day ends.

How do I set an out-of-office reply for a shared mailbox?

Select or open the shared mailbox and configure its own Automatic replies setting, if you have permission. Then verify that the reply is associated with the shared address, not your personal mailbox. If the control is unavailable, ask the mailbox owner or Microsoft 365 administrator to set it up.

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

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