Set All-Day Out of Office in Outlook: Step-by-Step

To set an all-day out-of-office reply in Outlook, open Automatic Replies, turn them on, enter the first and last dates you will be away, and write your message. If Outlook asks for times, set the start to 12:00 AM on your first day and the end to 11:59 PM on your last day. Automatic Replies sends a response to incoming email; it is separate from adding an all-day event to your calendar.

What You’ll Need

An Outlook account that supports Automatic Replies, usually a Microsoft 365 work or school account, Exchange account, or Outlook.com account. Some organizations control whether the feature is available.
Your first and last day away, including the dates and, if shown, the times when the reply should start and stop.
A short message for colleagues and, if you choose to reply to people outside your organization, a suitable external message. Avoid sharing sensitive details such as a personal phone number or travel plans.

Step-by-Step

Open the Automatic Replies setting. In Outlook on the web or the new Outlook for Windows, select the gear-shaped Settings button, then open Accounts > Automatic replies. Depending on your account or the current layout, you may see Automatic replies directly in Settings; use the Settings search box if needed. In classic Outlook for Windows, select File > Automatic Replies (Out of Office). In Outlook for Mac, look under Tools > Automatic Replies in the classic app, or open Outlook > Settings > Accounts and choose the account’s automatic-reply setting in new Outlook. If you have multiple accounts, confirm you are changing the right one.
Turn on replies and choose a date range. In the automatic-replies panel or dialog, select Turn on automatic replies or its equivalent. If there is a checkbox or switch for sending replies only during a time period, turn it on and enter the first date and last date. This is the most reliable way to have Outlook switch the reply on and off automatically, even if you are not signed in at the time. If you do not see a date-range option, you can turn replies on manually, but you will need to remember to turn them off when you return.
Set the full-day start and end times. If Outlook provides time fields as well as dates, set the start to midnight at the beginning of your first day away. Set the end to the last moment of your final day, typically 11:59 PM. For example, for an absence from Monday through Wednesday, choose Monday at 12:00 AM as the start and Wednesday at 11:59 PM as the end. Check whether the end time is paired with the date you selected; setting Wednesday at 12:00 AM would stop replies as Wednesday begins, not after the full day. If the interface offers date-only fields, select the inclusive first and last dates and read any explanatory text displayed beside them.
Write your internal message. Enter a concise reply for people in your organization. State that you are away, when you expect to return, and who can help with urgent work. For example: I’m out of the office through Wednesday, April 15, and will return Thursday, April 16. For urgent project questions, contact Jordan Lee at the usual team address. Adjust the dates and contact details to fit your circumstances. Do not promise that you will check messages unless you actually plan to do so.
Choose whether to reply to people outside your organization. Outlook may have a separate option such as Send replies outside your organization. Turn it on only if external senders need an automatic response. Some versions let you send to everyone outside the organization or only to people in your contacts; choose the narrower option if it meets your needs. Add an external message if the interface provides a separate box. It can simply give your return date and a general alternative contact. Your employer’s Exchange or Microsoft 365 administrator may limit external replies.
Review the message and save the setting. Check the dates, times, spelling, and contact information. In the new Outlook and Outlook on the web, select Save if it appears. In classic Outlook for Windows, select OK to apply the settings. Some interfaces save changes as you make them, but look for a confirmation or status showing that replies are on. If the dialog has a separate box for replies inside and outside your organization, make sure each message is in the intended box.
Confirm that the reply is scheduled. Reopen Automatic Replies and verify that the setting is on and that the date range is correct. You can also check your calendar for an all-day absence entry, but remember that a calendar event alone does not send automatic email replies. If your workplace uses a shared mailbox or more than one email address, set replies on the account that should respond. Ask a colleague to send a brief test message if appropriate, or use another address you control, keeping in mind that Outlook or your organization may not send repeated replies to the same sender every time.

Common Mistakes

Creating only an all-day calendar event. An all-day event can show colleagues when you are unavailable, but it does not automatically answer incoming email. Set Automatic Replies separately if you want senders to receive a message.
Choosing midnight as the end time. If the final date is Wednesday and the end time is Wednesday at 12:00 AM, the scheduled period ends at the start of Wednesday. Set the end to 11:59 PM, or follow the date-only controls and their instructions, to cover the whole final day.
Forgetting to enable the date range. Typing dates into a dialog does not always activate scheduled replies. Make sure the time-period option is checked or switched on as well as Automatic Replies itself.
Leaving automatic replies on indefinitely. If you enable replies without a schedule, Outlook may keep sending them until you turn them off. Use a date range or set a reminder to disable the feature when you return.
Sending too much information externally. An external reply may reach customers, vendors, or unfamiliar senders. Keep it professional and avoid revealing private travel details, confidential project information, or personal contact details that should not be widely shared.
Changing the wrong account. Outlook can contain several mailboxes. Confirm the account name before saving, especially if you use a work account alongside a personal Outlook.com account.

Tips

Use a specific return date. A clear statement such as “I’ll return on Thursday, April 16” is more useful than “I’ll be back next week.” If your return date may change, use wording that does not promise a precise response time.
Offer a practical handoff. Name a colleague, shared inbox, or team channel that can handle urgent matters. Check that the address or route is correct and that the person has agreed to cover.
Keep internal and external replies distinct. Colleagues may need details about project coverage, while outside senders usually need only a general return date and a suitable point of contact. If you use one message for both audiences, write it as though an external recipient will read it.
Set the reply before you leave. Configure it while you still have access to your account, and verify the dates before signing out. This avoids depending on a phone or a network connection while away.
Use calendar status as a companion, not a replacement. Add an all-day event or mark yourself out of office in the calendar if your team relies on availability information. That helps colleagues see your absence, while Automatic Replies handles email responses.
Check your organization’s rules. Work accounts may restrict external automatic replies, wording, or the maximum schedule. If you cannot select an option, ask your Microsoft 365 or Exchange administrator rather than repeatedly changing unrelated settings.

Troubleshooting

Automatic Replies is missing or unavailable. First check that you opened the settings for the correct account. The feature is generally supported for Exchange, Microsoft 365 work or school, and Outlook.com mailboxes, but it may not be available for a mailbox configured only as POP or IMAP. For an unsupported account, you may be able to create a mail rule, but rules can depend on Outlook being open and connected, and the steps differ by account provider. Ask your email administrator or provider which option is supported.

The reply is not being sent. Reopen the setting and check that automatic replies are enabled, the start time has passed, and the end time is still in the future. Check the time zone and make sure you edited the mailbox that received the message. For a work account, an organization policy or mail-flow rule may affect replies. Send a test from a different address; many automatic-reply systems avoid repeatedly responding to the same sender, so sending several tests from one address may not produce several messages.

Replies stop before the last day ends. Check the scheduled end date and time rather than only the date label. If the last day is selected with a 12:00 AM end time, extend the end to 11:59 PM on that date. Also check whether Outlook displays times in a different time zone from the one you expected. If your absence crosses time zones, use the time zone shown by your mailbox settings and verify the schedule before leaving.

External senders receive no response. Confirm that replies to people outside your organization are enabled and that the option is set to send to all external senders or includes the particular person in your contacts, as appropriate. If the option is unavailable or the message still does not arrive, your organization may block external automatic replies. Contact your administrator; changing the internal message will not override that policy.

The wrong message appears, or changes do not stick. Check whether internal and external replies have separate message boxes, then save again and reopen the settings to verify. If you use Outlook in a browser, refresh the page after saving. In the desktop app, confirm it is connected to the account and try opening the mailbox settings again. If an administrator or shared mailbox setting controls the response, ask them to check the configuration rather than setting up a second reply that could confuse senders.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an all-day Outlook calendar event turn on out-of-office replies?
No. A calendar event marks your availability, but it does not send email replies. Configure Automatic Replies separately, and create the calendar entry as well if you want colleagues to see your absence.

Can I schedule Outlook out-of-office replies for several full days?
Yes. Set the start date to the first day away and the end date to the last day away. If the interface includes times, use midnight at the start of the first day and 11:59 PM on the final day so the scheduled period includes both days in full.

Do automatic replies go to every message a person sends?
Usually not. Outlook and Exchange commonly send one automatic reply to a sender during an absence period rather than replying to every message from that person. This helps prevent repeated messages, so do not treat the lack of a second reply as proof that the setting has stopped working.

Can I have different messages for coworkers and external senders?
Often, yes. Outlook provides separate internal and external message areas for many Microsoft 365 and Exchange accounts. If you do not see a separate external option, your account version or organization’s settings may not support it.

Will the reply still work if my computer is off?
For a supported Exchange, Microsoft 365, or Outlook.com mailbox, scheduled Automatic Replies are generally handled by the mail service, so your computer does not need to remain on. A rule used as a workaround for a POP or IMAP account may behave differently and could require Outlook to be running.

How do I stop the replies early?
Open the same Automatic Replies setting and turn the feature off, then save or confirm the change. If you are using a scheduled range, you can also change its end time, but turning replies off is the direct choice when your plans change and you want them to stop immediately.

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

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