How to Set an Out of Office Reply in Outlook on Phone

To set an out-of-office reply in Outlook on your phone, open the Outlook app, go to Settings, select the account you want, and turn on Automatic Replies. Add your message and, if the option appears, set when replies should start and stop. This sends an automatic response while you are away; the exact controls can differ slightly between iPhone, Android, and account types.

Before you switch it on, check that you are setting it for the right email account and decide what you want senders to know. Automatic replies are useful for holidays, sick leave, or any time you cannot respond promptly. They do not pause incoming mail or prevent messages from reaching your inbox.

What You’ll Need

The Microsoft Outlook app installed on your iPhone or Android phone, with the relevant account signed in.
A supported account. Automatic Replies is generally available for Microsoft 365 work or school accounts, Exchange accounts, and Outlook.com accounts. A Gmail or other third-party account may not show the feature in Outlook; set its vacation response through that email provider instead.
Your planned start and end times, if you want the response to turn on and off automatically. Check the dates and time zone that apply to your account.
A short message that says when you will return and, if appropriate, who to contact for urgent matters. Avoid sharing sensitive details such as your travel itinerary.

Step-by-Step

Open Outlook and confirm the account. Launch the Outlook app and make sure you are signed in. If you have more than one account, tap your profile picture or initials to view the accounts and confirm which address should send the reply. This matters because automatic replies are usually configured separately for each mailbox.
Open Outlook settings. Tap your profile picture or initials in the upper-left corner to open the navigation panel, then tap the gear icon. In some app layouts, the profile control or Settings label may be positioned differently; look for the gear rather than relying on the exact placement. If you are in a message or calendar view, return to the main Outlook screen first.
Choose the mailbox to configure. In Settings, find the Mail Accounts area and tap the relevant email account. Depending on your app version, accounts may be listed directly in Settings, so select the address rather than a general app preference. If you cannot find the address, check that it is added to Outlook and that you have selected the correct profile.
Open Automatic Replies. Look for Automatic Replies in the account settings and tap it. If the option is missing, do not assume that the app has a general out-of-office switch for every kind of email account. Check the troubleshooting section below; account type, app version, and workplace policies can all affect whether the control appears.
Turn on the automatic reply. Switch on Automatic Replies. Some versions show a single on/off control; others display settings after you enable it. If Outlook offers a choice between replying to people inside your organization and replying to everyone, choose the audience deliberately. For a work mailbox, an internal-only message is often more appropriate, while a personal mailbox may need to reply to external senders too.
Write the message. Enter a concise response in the message field. For example: “Thanks for your email. I’m away until Tuesday, 12 May, and will reply when I return. For urgent project questions, contact Jordan at the usual team address.” Replace the example dates and contact with accurate information. Do not promise a response time you cannot meet, and avoid including private information that could be sent to people outside your organization.
Set a time period if Outlook offers scheduling. Turn on the option to send replies during a time period, then choose the start and end dates and times. Check whether the app uses your phone’s local time or the mailbox’s configured time zone, especially if you will be travelling. If you leave scheduling off, the reply may remain active until you turn it off yourself; read the wording on the screen before saving.
Set separate internal and external messages if available. Some work and school accounts let you create one message for colleagues and another for people outside the organization. Keep the external version neutral and share only information that outsiders need. If the app provides an option to send replies outside your organization, enable it only if you want external senders to receive a response.
Save or confirm the settings. Tap Save, the check mark, or the back control if the screen indicates that changes are saved automatically. Wait for the settings page to finish updating before closing Outlook. Reopen Automatic Replies and check that the switch, message, audience, and schedule still show the choices you intended.
Check that the reply is active. Look for an on-state indicator or the active schedule in the account’s Automatic Replies settings. If the start time is in the future, the reply may be configured but not active yet. You can send a test message from a separate account, but remember that some services send only one automatic response to the same sender during an absence period, so repeated tests may not generate repeated replies.

Common Mistakes

Configuring the wrong mailbox: Outlook can hold personal and work accounts at once. A reply set on one account does not automatically apply to the others. Check the email address shown in the account settings before editing or testing the message.

Forgetting to set an end date: If scheduling is optional and you leave the end date blank or do not enable the time-period control, an automatic reply may keep running after you return. Confirm the screen’s wording and set a definite end time when the option is available. If you choose to leave it running, add a reminder to switch it off.

Choosing the wrong audience: A message intended for coworkers may disclose internal names or processes to external senders. Review the internal and external audience settings, and use a separate, more general external message when the app supports it.

Assuming an automatic reply sends to every message: Many mail systems limit how often they respond to the same sender during an absence period. A missing second reply does not necessarily mean the feature failed. Also, an automatic reply is not a forwarding rule and does not mark your inbox as read.

Using vague or outdated details: “I’m away” does not tell people when you will respond. Check the return date, spelling, and alternate contact before saving, and remove any old details copied from a previous absence.

Tips

Keep the reply brief: say that you are away, give a return date if known, and provide an approved alternate contact for genuinely urgent requests.
Use a clear date rather than an ambiguous phrase such as “back next Friday.” This is especially helpful for people in different regions or time zones.
For a work account, follow your organization’s policy on external replies and contact details. Your administrator may control which options are available.
Set the start time before you leave, and give yourself a few minutes to confirm the settings. If you want the reply to begin at the start of a workday, use the appropriate local time rather than midnight by default.
When you return early, turn off Automatic Replies manually instead of waiting for the scheduled end time. If you return later, extend the end time so senders are not told you are available too soon.
If you use multiple devices, the setting is usually stored with a supported mailbox and may be reflected in Outlook on the web or desktop. Still, verify it in the mailbox because app display and organization settings can differ.

Troubleshooting

Automatic Replies is not listed: First confirm that you tapped the specific account, not general Outlook settings. Update Outlook from the App Store or Google Play, close and reopen the app, and check again. If the account is Gmail, Yahoo, or another provider, use that provider’s website or app to set its vacation responder. For a Microsoft 365 or Exchange work account, your administrator may have disabled mobile configuration; ask your IT support team or use Outlook on the web if permitted.

The switch will not stay on or the settings will not save: Check that the phone has a working internet connection, then reopen the account settings and try again. Make sure you are signed in to the right mailbox and that the app is not asking you to reauthenticate. If the problem continues, update Outlook, restart the phone, and try setting the reply in a browser at Outlook on the web. Work or school account restrictions may require help from your administrator.

Senders are not receiving a reply: Verify that Automatic Replies is on for the exact address they emailed. Check the start and end times, audience selection, and any option to reply outside your organization. Ask a sender to check spam or junk mail, and remember that many mail systems do not send repeated automatic responses to the same person. Test from an address that has not already received a reply during this absence period.

The reply starts or stops at the wrong time: Reopen the schedule and compare its dates and times with the mailbox’s time zone, not just the phone’s clock. Correct the schedule and save it again. If you are unable to set precise times in the app, use Outlook on the web or ask your organization’s support team to confirm the account’s time-zone settings.

The message goes to external senders unexpectedly: Turn off the option to reply outside your organization, if available, and review any separate external message. For a personal Outlook.com account, the audience controls may differ from work accounts. If the setting is managed by an organization and cannot be changed, contact the administrator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set an out-of-office reply in Outlook on an iPhone or Android phone?
Yes, if the mailbox and app version support Automatic Replies. Open the account’s settings in Outlook and look for Automatic Replies. If the option is absent, set the response through the email provider or Outlook on the web.

Does Outlook send the reply immediately?
It sends replies while the feature is active, subject to the schedule and audience settings. If you set a future start time, it will not begin before then. Many mail systems limit repeated replies to the same sender.

Can I set different replies for coworkers and external contacts?
Some Microsoft 365 and Exchange work accounts offer separate internal and external messages. The choices depend on the account and organization. If you see only one message field, use wording that is suitable for every recipient who may receive it.

Will this work for a Gmail account added to Outlook?
Not necessarily. Outlook’s Automatic Replies feature is designed for supported Microsoft and Exchange mailboxes, and Gmail accounts may not show it. Set a vacation responder in Gmail instead, so the setting is managed by the provider that receives the mail.

How do I turn off the reply when I return?
Open Outlook, go to Settings, select the account, and open Automatic Replies. Switch it off and save or confirm the change. If you set an end time earlier, check that it is correct rather than assuming the reply has already stopped.

Is setting an out-of-office reply the same as forwarding mail?
No. An automatic reply sends a message back to eligible senders; it does not route incoming mail to a colleague. If someone needs to handle messages while you are away, arrange forwarding or mailbox access separately and follow your organization’s rules.

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