How to Set an Out of Office Reply in Outlook

To set an out of office reply in Outlook, open Automatic Replies for your email account, write your message, and choose when it should be sent. If your account supports scheduled automatic replies, Outlook can turn them on and off at the dates you set. The exact menu differs between new Outlook, classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Mac, so use the instructions below that match your version.

What You’ll Need

Access to the Outlook account you want to configure. If you have multiple accounts, check which one is selected before saving.
An Exchange, Microsoft 365 work or school, or Outlook.com account for the built-in Automatic Replies feature. Gmail, IMAP, and some other account types may need a vacation responder in the email provider instead.
Your planned away dates and a short message explaining when you expect to reply. You can also prepare a separate message for people outside your organization.

Step-by-Step

Check which Outlook version and account you are using. In Outlook for Windows, you may be using new Outlook or classic Outlook. New Outlook has a Settings gear near the top of the window; classic Outlook has a File tab on the ribbon. Outlook on the web opens in a browser. The account type matters too: if Outlook does not show an Automatic Replies option, your email service may not support it through Outlook.
Open Automatic Replies.
- New Outlook for Windows: Select Settings, then Accounts, then Automatic replies. If you have more than one account, choose the relevant account if Outlook asks.
- Classic Outlook for Windows: Select File, then Automatic Replies. Choose the email account if prompted.
- Outlook on the web: Select the Settings gear, then Accounts, then Automatic replies. In some work or school environments, your organization may use a slightly different settings layout.
- Outlook for Mac: From the menu bar, select Tools, then Automatic Replies. Choose the account if the window offers an account selector.
If the Automatic Replies command is missing, see Troubleshooting before creating a rule; the account may not support the feature.
Turn on automatic replies. Select the option to turn on automatic replies or send automatic replies. In classic Outlook for Windows, this is the Send automatic replies option. Do not close the settings window before saving or applying your changes. If you only want replies during a specific period, enable the time-range option as well.
Set the start and end times. Choose the first date and time when you want replies to begin and the date and time when you want them to stop. Check the displayed time zone, especially if you will be travelling or setting this up from another region. The end time should be after the start time. When a schedule is enabled, Outlook should stop sending the reply when the period ends; without a schedule, automatic replies can remain on until you turn them off manually.
Write the message for people inside your organization. In the internal message box, give a clear date or period for your absence, say whether you will check email, and provide a practical alternative contact if appropriate. For example: I am away from November 10 through November 14 and will reply when I return. For urgent requests, contact Jordan Lee at the support desk. Keep the wording professional and avoid promising a response time you cannot meet. Your organization may limit which formatting options are available.
Choose whether to send a reply outside your organization. If Outlook offers a separate external-reply setting, turn it on only if people outside your company or school need the notice. Some versions let you send to all external senders or only people in your contacts. Select the narrower audience if it suits your needs. Write an external message separately; do not assume it is safe to send your internal message to everyone. Avoid including sensitive details such as travel plans, private phone numbers, or confidential project information.
Save the setting and check it. Select Save, Done, or OK, depending on your Outlook version. Reopen Automatic Replies or the settings page and confirm that the feature is on, the account is correct, and the dates and message are as intended. If you set a future start time, the status may show that replies are scheduled rather than active right away.
Turn replies off when plans change. If you return earlier or no longer need the notice, open the same Automatic Replies controls and turn the feature off, then save. A scheduled end date will not help if you need the replies to stop before that date. If you extend your absence, update the end time and message so senders are not given outdated information.

Common Mistakes

Setting the reply on the wrong account. A profile can contain a personal mailbox and one or more work accounts. Check the account name before editing, and verify the setting afterward. A reply configured for one mailbox does not automatically apply to every address in Outlook.
Leaving out the schedule or end date. If you turn on automatic replies without a time range, you may need to turn them off yourself. A forgotten setting can send an old absence notice after you return. If your version supports scheduling, enter both endpoints and check them before saving.
Assuming the reply goes to every sender repeatedly. Outlook and Exchange generally limit automatic replies so a sender is not sent the same notice for every message during an active period. Do not rely on a repeat reply to communicate a changed return date; update the setting and contact important people directly if needed.
Sending internal details externally. An external reply can reach customers, vendors, mailing lists, or people you do not know. Keep it brief, leave out confidential information, and use a separate external message if available.
Expecting the feature to work with every email provider. Automatic Replies is a server-side mailbox feature for supported accounts. If you have added a Gmail or IMAP mailbox to Outlook, the setting may be unavailable, or a message may need to be configured with the provider instead.
Closing Outlook before a rule-based workaround can run. A rule that sends a reply from a local template is different from the built-in Exchange automatic-reply feature. Depending on the rule and account, classic Outlook may need to remain open and connected. A server-side vacation responder is more dependable when available.

Tips

Use an exact return date rather than a vague phrase such as soon. If you are uncertain, say that you expect to respond after a particular date rather than guaranteeing you will be available then.
Include a useful next step. For example, direct urgent support requests to a monitored team address or tell senders whom to contact for approvals. Confirm that the alternate contact has agreed to handle those requests.
Keep internal and external messages distinct. Internal coworkers may need coverage details, while an external sender usually needs only a general absence period and an appropriate public contact route.
Set the reply before you leave and check the scheduled start time. If you are already away, activate it as soon as possible and consider whether people who wrote earlier need a direct response.
Do not use an automatic reply as a substitute for forwarding or delegating messages. If someone must act on incoming email, set up the appropriate access or forwarding arrangement separately, following your organization’s policies.
When you are back, review the setting rather than assuming it stopped. This is particularly important if you did not set an end time or used a workaround instead of the built-in feature.

Troubleshooting

Automatic Replies is missing or unavailable: Confirm the account type and whether you are signed in to the correct mailbox. Built-in replies are normally available for Exchange, Microsoft 365 work or school, and Outlook.com accounts, but not all POP or IMAP accounts. For Gmail, sign in to Gmail and configure its vacation responder. For another provider, look for a vacation or absence-response setting in that provider’s webmail. In a work account, your administrator may restrict the feature.

The reply is not being sent: Check that automatic replies are enabled, that the current time falls inside the selected period, and that the message is saved. Check both the internal and external settings: an outside sender will not receive a notice if external replies are off or limited to contacts. Ask a trusted recipient to send one test message from the relevant audience, but remember that Outlook may not send repeated automatic replies to the same person during one period.

The reply starts or ends at the wrong time: Reopen the schedule and compare the start and end values with the time zone shown in Outlook. A calendar entry for your trip does not control Automatic Replies. Correct the time range and save it. If the feature is already active and you need it to stop immediately, switch it off rather than waiting for the scheduled end.

Senders get an old message: Reopen Automatic Replies for the correct mailbox, update the text, and save. If you use a provider’s vacation responder, edit it there rather than only changing Outlook. Check for a second rule or another mailbox that may be sending a separate response. If the account is managed by an organization, ask its help desk to check server-side settings.

A rule-based reply does not run: A local Outlook rule may require classic Outlook to be open, connected, and running on the computer, depending on how the rule is configured. Check that the rule is enabled and that its template file is accessible. If you need the reply to work while your computer is off, use the account’s built-in or provider-hosted automatic-reply feature instead, if available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I schedule an out of office reply in advance?
Yes, if your account and Outlook version offer a time-range setting. Enter the start and end date and time, then save. If there is no scheduling option, you may need to turn replies on manually and remember to turn them off.

Will Outlook send the automatic reply to people outside my organization?
Only if external replies are enabled for your account. You may be able to choose all external senders or only people in your contacts. If the option is not present, your organization or account provider may control external replies.

Can I use an out of office reply with Gmail in Outlook?
Outlook’s built-in Automatic Replies feature is not available for every Gmail or IMAP setup. Configure the vacation responder in Gmail itself so it can send while Outlook is closed. The same principle applies to other providers that offer their own absence-response tool.

Does Outlook send a reply for every email someone sends me?
Usually not. Automatic replies are generally limited so a sender receives one notice during an active period instead of one for each message. If someone needs a revised return date or a specific answer, send a normal message.

How do I turn off an out of office reply early?
Open the same Automatic Replies settings for the mailbox, turn off the feature, and save. Do not rely on the scheduled end time if your plans change and you want replies to stop immediately.

Can I set different replies for coworkers and external contacts?
Many Exchange and Microsoft 365 accounts provide separate internal and external message boxes. Write each message for its audience and check the external recipient setting before saving. Some accounts or Outlook versions may offer fewer choices.

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

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