Out of Office in Outlook 365: Set an Automatic Reply

To set an out-of-office email in Outlook 365, open Automatic Replies for your account, turn on automatic replies, write your message, and save. If you want the reply to start and stop while you are away, set a date range before saving. The names and locations of these controls differ slightly between classic Outlook, new Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Outlook for Mac.

What You’ll Need

Access to the Outlook account that should send the reply. If you manage more than one mailbox, check that you select the right one.
A work or school Microsoft 365 account, or another account that supports server-based automatic replies. Some personal, POP, and IMAP accounts do not offer the built-in Automatic Replies setting.
Your away dates and a short message explaining when you will return and how urgent requests should be handled. You can prepare separate wording for people inside and outside your organization.

Step-by-Step

Open the mailbox you want to update. Start Outlook and confirm the account name or address, especially if you have several accounts connected. Automatic replies are configured per mailbox, not as one universal setting for every account in the app. If the setting is missing, check the Troubleshooting section below.
Open Automatic Replies in your version of Outlook. In classic Outlook for Windows, select File > Automatic Replies (Out of Office). In new Outlook for Windows, select the Settings gear, then Accounts > Automatic replies. In Outlook on the web, select the Settings gear and open Accounts > Automatic replies; depending on the web layout, the setting may appear under Mail > Automatic replies. In Outlook for Mac, select Outlook > Settings > Accounts, choose the account, then open Automatic replies. If a menu is arranged differently, search Outlook Settings for Automatic replies.
Turn on automatic replies. Select the switch or option to enable replies. In classic Outlook for Windows, choose Send automatic replies. Do not close the dialog before saving or applying your changes. If Outlook tells you the setting is unavailable, it may be an account-type or organization-policy limitation rather than a problem with your message.
Choose whether replies should run for a set period. If you know your return date, enable the option to send replies only during a time period, then enter the start and end dates and times. This is useful for a planned holiday because Outlook can stop replying automatically at the end of the period. Check the displayed time zone and make sure the end time is after the start time. If you do not set a schedule, you will need to switch replies off yourself when you return.
Write the message for people in your organization. In the internal-message box, state that you are away, when you expect to return, and who can help with urgent work. For example: I am away until Monday, 18 May. For urgent account questions, contact Jordan Lee at the service desk. Keep it brief and factual. Avoid promising that you will read email or respond while away unless you intend to do so.
Set the external reply separately, if offered. Outlook may have a separate option such as Send replies outside your organization. Turn it on only if people outside your organization need a response. Depending on the version, you may be able to send to everyone outside the organization or only to people in your contacts. Use a more general message for external recipients, and do not include confidential project details, personal travel information, or internal contact lists.
Review the audience and schedule. Read both message boxes, verify the return date, and confirm that external replies are enabled only if you want them. Check spelling in names, phone numbers, and email addresses. If the message directs people to a colleague, confirm that the colleague is available and has agreed to handle those requests.
Save or apply the settings. Select Save in the web or new Outlook settings, or OK in the classic Outlook dialog. Outlook for Mac may show a save or close control after you edit the reply. Wait for the setting to finish saving before closing the page. Reopen Automatic Replies to confirm the switch, dates, and message are still set as intended.
Check the result before relying on it. If the schedule starts later, replies may not be sent until that start time. If you need to verify the wording, ask a trusted colleague to send a simple test message from the relevant audience, or use another address you control. Automatic replies are not always sent for every repeated message from the same sender, so one missing repeat reply does not necessarily mean the feature is off.

To turn replies off early: Return to the same Automatic Replies setting and switch it off, or clear the enabled option in classic Outlook. If you set an end date, Outlook should stop at that time, but checking the setting when you return is a sensible precaution.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to set an end date. If replies are enabled without a schedule, they can continue until someone turns them off. Set a time range for planned absences, or add a reminder to disable the setting on your return.
Entering the wrong dates or time zone. A start time in the wrong day or an end time that has already passed can make it look as though replies are not working. Review the date, time, and time-zone information displayed in Outlook before saving.
Writing only an internal message. People outside the organization may receive no reply if external responses are disabled. Decide deliberately whether external senders should hear from you and add a separate, appropriate message if needed.
Including sensitive details. Automatic replies can reach unexpected senders, including mailing lists or people you do not know. Share only the minimum useful information; avoid account credentials, detailed travel plans, or confidential business information.
Assuming every sender gets a reply each time. Outlook and Exchange can limit repeated automatic replies to the same sender to prevent loops and excessive messages. A sender may not receive another reply for each email they send during your absence.
Setting the reply on the wrong account. This often happens when Outlook has a personal mailbox and a work mailbox open together. Confirm the account before editing, and verify the setting in that mailbox afterward.

Tips

Make the return date explicit. A message such as I will return on Tuesday, 9 June is more helpful than I am away for a few days. If your return date is uncertain, say when you expect to provide an update rather than stating a date you may not meet.
Give one useful next step. For a work mailbox, identify a shared inbox, service desk, or named backup for urgent requests. Make sure the contact method is valid and that the person or team is prepared to respond. For a personal mailbox, it may be enough to say when you will check messages again.
Keep the external message less specific. Internal colleagues may need operational details, while an external sender usually needs only to know that you are unavailable and where to direct an urgent request. This reduces unnecessary disclosure.
Use a test that matches the audience. If you enabled external replies, test from an address outside your organization. An internal test alone cannot confirm that the external setting is enabled or that its wording is correct.
Remember that an automatic reply is not forwarding. It tells senders you are away; it does not transfer incoming messages to a coworker. If someone needs to handle your mail, ask your Microsoft 365 administrator about an approved mailbox delegation or forwarding arrangement.

Troubleshooting

There is no Automatic Replies option. The account may be a POP or IMAP mailbox, or your organization may manage the feature. Confirm that you are using the work or school Exchange or Microsoft 365 mailbox, then check Outlook on the web. If the option is absent there too, contact your Microsoft 365 administrator or email provider. Some accounts offer rules as an alternative, but rules may depend on Outlook being open and are not equivalent to server-side automatic replies.

The reply does not send. First check that automatic replies are enabled and that the current time falls inside the scheduled period. Confirm you saved the changes and selected the correct mailbox. If you are testing by sending several messages from the same address, Outlook may suppress repeat replies. Test once from a different address, and allow a short time for the message to arrive. Check junk mail and any organizational mail-flow policies as well.

Only internal senders receive a reply. Reopen the setting and inspect the external-reply option. Enable replies outside the organization if appropriate, then review whether the audience is set to everyone outside or only external contacts. Save the change and test with a genuinely external address. Some organizations restrict external automatic replies for security reasons; an administrator can confirm whether that policy applies.

The reply keeps sending after you return. Open Automatic Replies and turn the feature off. If it was scheduled, check the end date and time, and confirm the mailbox is not a different account from the one you are checking. If the setting appears off but senders still receive replies, ask your administrator to check for a mailbox rule or organization-managed configuration.

The message looks wrong or is not saved. Return to the settings, inspect the text and schedule, and save again. Try Outlook on the web if the desktop app is not syncing, then reopen the setting to verify the saved version. For a work account, contact support if a policy or synchronization issue prevents changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set an out-of-office reply in Outlook 365 before I leave?
Yes. Enable Automatic Replies and set a future start and end time. For a work or school Microsoft 365 account, the reply is generally managed by the mailbox service, so Outlook does not need to stay open for the scheduled reply to run.

Will Outlook send the reply to every email?
Not necessarily. Automatic replies are commonly sent once to a sender during an absence rather than for every message. This helps prevent repeated responses and mail loops. Do not use the feature as confirmation that each individual email has been read.

Can I send different messages to coworkers and external contacts?
Yes, when your account and Outlook version show separate internal and external message boxes. Write each message for its audience and check that the external-reply option is enabled if outside senders should receive one.

Can I set an out-of-office reply in Outlook on my phone?
Outlook mobile may provide automatic-reply controls for supported work or school accounts. Open the app’s account settings, select the correct mailbox, and look for Automatic Replies. If the option is not present, set it in Outlook on the web or the desktop app instead.

Does an automatic reply forward my messages to someone else?
No. It sends a response to the sender but does not give another person access to your mailbox or route your incoming messages. Ask your organization about delegation or an approved forwarding setup if coverage is needed.

How do I stop the reply before the scheduled end date?
Open Automatic Replies for the same account and switch the feature off, then save or apply the change. If you manage several mailboxes, verify that you disabled it for the mailbox that is sending the response.

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

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