How to Schedule an Out of Office Email in Outlook for Later

To schedule an out-of-office email in Outlook, turn on Automatic Replies and set the start and end times for the period you will be away. Outlook then sends your message automatically to people who email you during those dates. Before you begin, check which Outlook app and account you use: the controls differ slightly, and automatic replies are generally available for Microsoft 365, Exchange, and Outlook.com accounts.

What You’ll Need

Access to the Outlook account that should send the reply. If you have several accounts, make sure you select the right one.
Your planned absence dates and times, including the time zone used by your mailbox.
A prepared reply message. It helps to include when you expect to return, whether you will check email, and an alternative contact for urgent requests.
An Exchange, Microsoft 365, or Outlook.com account with automatic replies enabled. If your account is from another provider, check whether its service supports automatic replies.

Step-by-Step

Open the correct Outlook mailbox. Start Outlook for Windows, Outlook on the web, or Outlook for Mac, and confirm the account shown is the one you want to set up. If you have a work and a personal account in the same app, automatic replies are configured separately. This feature responds to incoming email; it does not create a calendar event or send a single message to a chosen recipient.
Find Automatic Replies in Outlook for Windows. In classic Outlook for Microsoft 365, select File > Automatic Replies (Out of Office). In the dialog box, choose Send automatic replies. If that command is missing, the account may not support the built-in feature; see Troubleshooting below. In the new Outlook for Windows, select the gear icon to open Settings, then go to Accounts > Automatic replies. Select the account if Outlook asks which mailbox to configure.
Turn on a date range. In classic Outlook, select Only send during this time range and enter the start and end date and time. In new Outlook, turn on automatic replies and select the option to send replies only during a time period, then set the start and end. The labels can vary slightly as Microsoft updates the app, but look for the time-period or schedule control. If you skip this setting, replies may start as soon as you turn them on and remain active until you switch them off.
Choose the start and end carefully. Set the start to the moment you want the first automatic reply to be sent, not necessarily the time you leave home. Set the end to when you are ready to receive and respond to email again. For example, if your absence begins Monday morning and ends Friday afternoon, enter those dates and times rather than relying on a reminder to turn the feature off. Check the mailbox’s time zone, especially if you are traveling or scheduling from another location.
Write the message for people inside your organization. In classic Outlook, enter your internal message in the Inside My Organization tab. In new Outlook or Outlook on the web, type the message in the available reply box; some versions show separate boxes for internal and external senders. Keep it concise and useful. State that you are away, when you expect to return, and who can help while you are unavailable. Avoid promising a response at a precise time if your return plans may change.
Decide whether to reply to people outside your organization. In classic Outlook, open Outside My Organization, select the option to send replies outside the organization, and choose whether to reply only to your contacts or to anyone outside the organization. In new Outlook and Outlook on the web, look for a control to send replies outside your organization and, if available, limit them to contacts. External replies may reach clients, mailing lists, and unfamiliar senders, so include only information that is appropriate to share broadly.
Review and save the schedule. Read both messages for clarity, check the selected account and date range, and confirm that external replies are set the way you intend. In classic Outlook, select OK to save. In new Outlook or Outlook on the web, use the available Save or close control if prompted; some versions save changes as you make them. Do not assume a message has been scheduled until Outlook shows the automatic-reply setting as on.
Confirm it is active before you leave. Reopen the Automatic Replies settings and verify the status and dates. If the start time is in the future, the feature can be enabled now while replies still wait until the scheduled start. If you want to check the wording, send a test message from a separate account after the start time, while remembering that some systems limit repeated automatic replies to the same sender. When you return early or extend your absence, update the end time.

Outlook on the web: Sign in to Outlook on the web, select the gear icon, and open Accounts > Automatic replies. Turn on automatic replies, set the time-period option and dates, enter your message, and configure external replies if offered. Select Save when shown. The exact labels can differ between work or school accounts and Outlook.com, but the settings are usually under Automatic replies.

Outlook for Mac: In Outlook for Mac, open Tools > Automatic Replies, select the account if needed, and turn on automatic replies. Enter your message and enable the option to send replies only during a specified period, then set the start and end. Choose external-reply options if they appear, and save or close the dialog as prompted. If the Tools menu or setting is different in your build, use Outlook’s settings search for Automatic Replies.

Common Mistakes

Confusing an automatic reply with a scheduled email. Automatic Replies responds to messages other people send you during your absence. It does not send a prewritten email to a particular person at a chosen time. For one outgoing message in new Outlook, use the arrow next to Send and choose Schedule send, if available. In classic Outlook for Windows, use Options > Delay Delivery in the message window. These are separate features.
Forgetting the time range. If you enable replies without a schedule, they may continue after you return until you disable them. If a schedule is enabled but the dates are wrong, the reply may start too early or too late. Check both the date and the hour.
Setting the schedule in the wrong mailbox. A reply configured for one account will not automatically cover other accounts in Outlook. Verify the account name before saving, particularly if you use shared or delegated mailboxes.
Sharing too much with external senders. Avoid putting sensitive travel, personal, or account details in an external auto-reply. A message to anyone outside your organization may go to people you do not know.
Assuming the reply updates your calendar. Automatic Replies does not block meeting time or change your presence status in every app. Create a separate calendar event or adjust your work status if you need those actions.

Tips

Use a clear subject or opening such as Out of office until Monday, then state the return date in the body. A specific date is more helpful than saying you will be back soon.
Give a practical alternative for urgent matters, such as a team address or colleague, and confirm that the person is comfortable being listed. Do not include a backup contact if there is no reliable way for senders to reach them.
Consider keeping internal and external replies different. Colleagues may need project handoff details, while external senders usually need only your return date and an appropriate general contact.
Schedule a short reminder shortly before the end time to review messages and revise the setting if your plans change. Automatic replies can stop on schedule, but they cannot assess whether you are truly ready to return.
For a shared mailbox, confirm that you have permission to manage its automatic replies and that the setting is being changed for the shared mailbox rather than your own account.

Troubleshooting

You cannot find Automatic Replies. Check the account type and the Outlook version. The built-in setting is most commonly available for Exchange, Microsoft 365, and Outlook.com mailboxes. A POP or IMAP account may not provide the same command. For a work account, ask your administrator whether the feature is available or restricted. Do not create a forwarding or inbox rule without checking its behavior: a rule-based substitute may require Outlook to stay open and can behave differently from server-managed replies.

The reply did not start at the scheduled time. Reopen the setting and verify that automatic replies are on, the date range is enabled, and the start time has passed in the mailbox’s time zone. Check that the schedule was saved and that you changed the correct account. If you are using a work mailbox, an administrator policy or service issue may also affect the feature; contact your help desk if the settings look correct.

People are not receiving the message. Confirm that the sender’s message reached the mailbox and that the reply is enabled for that sender category. An internal message may be configured while external replies are off, or external replies may be limited to contacts. Some mail systems suppress repeated automatic replies to the same sender to prevent loops, so sending several test messages from one address may not produce several replies. Test with a different address and allow time for delivery.

The reply keeps going after you return. Turn off Automatic Replies or change the end date and save. If you set a time range, check the end time and time zone; a date alone can be interpreted differently from the time you expect. For a rule-based setup on an account without Automatic Replies, inspect and disable the relevant rule as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I schedule an Outlook out-of-office reply in advance?
Yes. Turn on Automatic Replies and set a future start and end time. The setting can be active before the start, while the reply itself begins during the scheduled period.

Will Outlook send the reply to every email?
Not necessarily. Automatic-reply behavior can depend on the account and mail service, and systems may limit repeat replies to a sender. Do not rely on it to acknowledge every individual message.

Can I use different messages for coworkers and outside contacts?
Often, yes. Classic Outlook has separate Inside My Organization and Outside My Organization sections. New Outlook and web versions may provide separate message boxes or an external-reply option. The available controls depend on the account.

Does Outlook for Mac support scheduled automatic replies?
Outlook for Mac can offer Automatic Replies for supported accounts. Open Tools > Automatic Replies and look for a time-period option. If it is missing, check the account type or use Outlook on the web for that mailbox.

What if I only want to send one email later?
Use Schedule send in new Outlook or Outlook on the web, if available, or Delay Delivery in classic Outlook for Windows. Those options schedule one outgoing message; Automatic Replies handles incoming messages during an absence.

Will an out-of-office reply create a calendar event?
No. It controls replies to incoming email. Add a separate calendar event or appointment if you want colleagues to see that you are unavailable.

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

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