How to Schedule an Away Email in Outlook for Any Date

To schedule an away email in Outlook, set up Automatic Replies and choose the dates and times when they should turn on and off. In Outlook for Microsoft 365 on Windows, go to File > Automatic Replies in classic Outlook, or Settings > Accounts > Automatic replies in new Outlook. You will need an account that supports automatic replies, such as a Microsoft 365 work or school account or Outlook.com.

What You’ll Need

Access to your Outlook account. You may need your work or school sign-in details if you are using a managed Microsoft 365 account.
A supported mailbox. Automatic Replies is built into Exchange-based work and school accounts and Outlook.com. Some accounts from other email providers do not offer this feature in Outlook.
Your dates, times, and message text. Decide when the reply should start and stop, and prepare a concise note for people who email you.
Permission to change the setting. Your organization may manage some mailbox settings. If a control is missing or locked, contact your IT administrator.

Step-by-Step

Confirm what you mean by an away email. The steps below schedule an automatic response to people who email you while you are away. This is different from scheduling a normal email to be delivered later: an automatic reply is triggered by incoming mail during the period you select. If you want to send a one-time announcement before you leave, compose a regular message and use Outlook’s schedule-send option separately.
Choose the Outlook version you are using. The app may be called classic Outlook or new Outlook on Windows. In classic Outlook, the traditional ribbon and a File tab appear at the top. New Outlook has a simplified layout and a gear-shaped Settings button. Outlook on the web uses a similar settings route to new Outlook. Use the matching steps below; the automatic reply settings are attached to the mailbox, so they generally apply even when you check that account on another device.
In new Outlook for Windows or Outlook on the web, open Automatic replies. Select the gear-shaped Settings button, then choose Accounts > Automatic replies. If your layout shows a different settings organization, use the settings search box and search for Automatic replies. Select the mailbox if Outlook asks which account to configure; this matters if you have more than one account added.
Turn on the scheduled period. Switch on Automatic replies, then enable the option to send replies only during a time period. Enter the start date and time and the end date and time. Check the calendar and clock carefully, including AM or PM where shown. The schedule uses the mailbox’s configured time zone, so verify that setting if you are travelling or working across regions. If you do not see a time-period option, do not assume the reply will switch off automatically; check the account type or use the appropriate Outlook version.
Write the message for people inside your organization. Enter a short, useful note in the internal reply box. For example: I am away from November 10 through November 14 and will respond when I return. For urgent requests, contact Jordan Lee at the support desk. Include a backup contact only if it is appropriate to share their details. Avoid confidential information, passwords, or unnecessary personal details, since the reply is sent automatically to incoming mail.
Set an external reply if you need one. Look for an option such as Send replies outside your organization or a separate external message box. Turn it on only if people outside your organization should receive a response. Some versions let you restrict external replies to contacts; others offer a broader choice. Read the choices shown in your account and select the narrowest audience that meets your needs. You can use a shorter external message that does not name internal colleagues or disclose internal processes.
Save the settings. Select Save if the settings page has a save button. In some Outlook versions, toggling the feature on applies the change immediately, while others save when you close or leave the settings panel. Look for a confirmation or reopen the setting to check that the switch, dates, and message remain in place. Do not close the page before a visible save action has completed.
In classic Outlook for Windows, schedule the reply from File. Open Outlook and select File > Automatic Replies (Out of Office). Choose Send automatic replies, then check Only send during this time range. Set the start and end dates and times. Add your internal message on the Inside My Organization tab. If needed, open Outside My Organization, select the option to send external replies, and enter a suitable message. Select OK to save. If you do not see Automatic Replies under File, the account may not support the feature in classic Outlook.
On Outlook for Mac, use the account’s automatic reply controls. In many Microsoft 365 versions, select Tools > Automatic Replies, choose the relevant account, and turn on automatic replies. Enable the scheduled time-period option if it appears, set the start and end, enter the message, and save or close the dialog as directed. Some newer Mac layouts place the control in Outlook > Settings or the account settings. If the route differs, search Outlook settings for Automatic Replies; available controls can depend on the account and app version.
Check the schedule and plan a quick verification. Reopen the setting and confirm the right mailbox, start and end times, and message are selected. If you need to verify delivery, ask a trusted colleague or use a separate account to send a test message after the schedule begins. Automatic replies are not necessarily sent for every message from the same person, so one test message is enough to confirm the basic setup; do not repeatedly send tests and expect a new reply each time.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to set an end time: If you turn on replies without a scheduled period, they may remain on until you turn them off manually. Always check the end date and time, especially when setting this up well before a trip.

Choosing the wrong account: Outlook can contain personal and work mailboxes at once. A reply configured for one mailbox does not automatically configure the others. Confirm the account name before editing the message.

Assuming a draft is scheduled: Writing a message in the Automatic Replies box does not necessarily activate it. Make sure the feature is switched on and, if offered, that the time range is enabled and saved.

Sending an internal message to everyone: External replies can reach customers, vendors, or unknown senders. Keep that text appropriate for a wider audience and use a contacts-only setting if it fits your needs.

Using the wrong time zone: A schedule entered while travelling may follow the mailbox’s time zone rather than the time shown on your device. Check the mailbox time-zone setting and compare the displayed start time with the actual time you want replies to begin.

Expecting the reply to go out repeatedly: Automatic replies are designed to avoid flooding senders with the same response. Outlook may not send another reply to the same person for each message during the away period. Do not use this feature as a guaranteed acknowledgement for every incoming email.

Tips

Use exact dates. Instead of saying “back next week,” write the return date, including the year if the absence crosses into a new year or the message may remain in use for a while.
Give a practical next step. If someone can help while you are away, provide their name or a shared team address, with permission. If there is no alternate contact, say when you expect to respond.
Keep the reply brief. A few sentences are easier to scan and less likely to reveal more than you intend. Use separate internal and external messages when your version of Outlook supports them.
Set it up before leaving. Add the schedule while you have reliable access to Outlook, then verify it. This avoids trying to configure mailbox settings from a phone or a slow connection at the last minute.
Remember shared mailboxes. If people email a shared team mailbox, your personal Automatic Replies setting will not necessarily configure that mailbox. Ask its owner or administrator to set the shared mailbox’s reply if needed.
Turn it off or update it when plans change. The end time stops the scheduled response, but a changed return date or backup contact requires you to edit the message and save the new details.

Troubleshooting

I cannot find Automatic Replies. First check whether you are in classic or new Outlook and try the matching route above. If the control is absent, the account may be a POP or IMAP mailbox, or another provider’s account that does not support Exchange automatic replies. For a work account, ask your administrator whether the feature is available. For Outlook.com, open the mailbox in a browser and check its settings. If the mailbox does not support the feature, a rules-based workaround may be possible in some desktop configurations, but it may require Outlook to remain open and is not equivalent to server-side scheduled replies.

The reply did not start at the expected time. Reopen Automatic Replies and verify the selected account, start date, time, and time zone. Check whether the scheduled-period option is enabled as well as the main automatic-replies switch. If the schedule is correct but the message still does not arrive, test from a different sender; Outlook may suppress repeated automatic replies to the same person.

The reply is still on after I returned. Check whether the end date and time were entered and whether the schedule belongs to the mailbox receiving the messages. If the period has ended but replies continue, turn off Automatic Replies manually, save the change, then reopen the setting to confirm it is off. If the mailbox is managed by your organization, contact IT if the control resets or cannot be changed.

Only some people receive the message. Review the external-reply option and any contacts-only restriction. People outside your organization may not receive the internal message, and an external-reply setting may be off by design. Also confirm that senders are emailing the mailbox you configured rather than an alias, shared mailbox, or another account.

The settings will not save. Check that you are online and signed in to the correct account, then retry in Outlook on the web. If the app is displaying an error, update or restart Outlook and try again. Do not assume an unsaved change took effect; verify the setting after reopening it. For organization accounts, an administrator can check whether a policy or service issue is preventing changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I schedule an away email in Outlook.com?
Yes. Sign in to Outlook.com, open Settings > Accounts > Automatic replies, turn on automatic replies, and set a time period if that option is available for your mailbox. Save the message and confirm the dates before leaving the settings.

Can I schedule different messages for coworkers and external senders?
Often, yes. Classic Outlook for Windows has separate internal and external message tabs, and other versions may provide separate internal and external reply fields. The exact audience controls vary by account and version, so check the options shown before enabling external replies.

Will Outlook send an automatic reply to every email?
Not necessarily. Outlook limits repeat automatic replies to help prevent a sender from receiving the same message over and over. Some automated messages, mailing lists, or messages treated as junk may not receive a reply. Use a separate process if every message needs a confirmed acknowledgement.

Can I schedule an automatic reply from Outlook on my phone?
Outlook mobile may let you turn automatic replies on and edit the message, but scheduling controls can vary by app version and account. If you cannot set exact dates in the mobile app, use Outlook on the web or a desktop version and verify the schedule there.

What if my email account is not supported?
Check the provider’s webmail settings for an out-of-office or vacation-response feature. Some accounts can use an Outlook rule as a workaround, but rule-based replies may depend on Outlook being open and can behave differently from server-managed Automatic Replies. Follow your provider’s instructions or ask your organization’s administrator.

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

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