How to Set an Out of Office Invite in Outlook Calendar

To set an out of office invite in Outlook, create a calendar event, choose Show as > Out of Office, enter your absence dates, and send it if colleagues need an invitation. This blocks your calendar; it does not automatically send an out of office reply to incoming email. For email replies, turn on Automatic Replies separately.

What You’ll Need

Access to the Outlook account and calendar where you want the absence recorded.
The dates and, if it is not a full-day absence, the start and end times.
The email addresses of anyone who should receive the calendar invitation. You do not need attendees just to block your own calendar.

Step-by-Step

Open the correct calendar. In Outlook for Microsoft 365 on Windows, select Calendar from the navigation bar or app launcher. If you have more than one calendar, select the one coworkers use to check your availability. For a shared or delegated calendar, confirm you have permission to create events on it. An event on a personal calendar may not block the work calendar colleagues check.
Create a calendar event. Select New Event in new Outlook for Windows or Outlook on the web. In classic Outlook for Windows, open Calendar and select New Appointment. You can also select the correct date and time in the calendar and create an event from that slot. If you intend to invite people, you can add them in the event form; in classic Outlook, select Invite Attendees from the appointment window to turn the appointment into a meeting.
Give the event a clear title. Use a concise subject such as “Out of office” or “Annual leave — Alex.” Avoid putting confidential or unnecessary personal details in the subject, because attendees may see the event. If colleagues need context, put a short, appropriate note in the body, such as who to contact while you are away.
Set the dates and times carefully. Enter the first day and the last day of your absence. For a full-day absence, select All day; check the displayed end date because all-day events can use an exclusive end boundary in some calendar views. For a partial day, enter the exact start and end times instead. Check the time zone if you are scheduling while traveling or creating the event for a different region. If your absence runs over several days, make sure the event covers every day you will be unavailable.
Mark the event as Out of Office. In the event form, find the Show as or Show As availability menu and select Out of Office. In new Outlook and Outlook on the web, this option is in the event details. In classic Outlook for Windows, look for Show As in the appointment or meeting window, usually on the Appointment tab. Do not leave the setting as Busy if you want your calendar to identify the time specifically as out of office. The selected status is what tells Outlook how to display your availability.
Add invitees only if they need the event. Enter coworkers’ names or email addresses in the attendee field and choose the correct people from the suggestions. A calendar invitation is useful when a team needs to know your dates or coordinate around your absence. If your aim is only to block your own calendar, leave attendees blank and save the event as an appointment. Adding a distribution list or a large group can send the absence notice to more people than intended, so check the recipient list before sending.
Review and save or send. Confirm the calendar, dates, time zone, subject, availability status, and recipients. Select Send if attendees are included; select Save or Save & Close for an event without attendees, depending on the Outlook version. Then return to the calendar and verify that the event appears on the correct dates with an Out of Office indicator. If Outlook asks whether to send an update after you edit a meeting, send it so invitees receive the corrected details.

To send automatic email replies as well: In classic Outlook for Windows, select File > Automatic Replies (Out of Office), choose to send automatic replies, enter your message, and set a time range if you want replies to stop automatically. In new Outlook for Windows or Outlook on the web, open Settings > Accounts > Automatic replies, switch them on, and set the schedule and message. The exact options can vary by account type. Outlook for Mac also has Automatic Replies settings; in many Microsoft 365 builds, open Tools > Automatic Replies. The calendar event and automatic replies are separate, so set both when you need both outcomes.

Common Mistakes

Using Busy instead of Out of Office. Busy blocks time, but it does not label the event as an absence. Open the event and check the Show as field if the calendar displays the wrong status.
Assuming the invite sends an email reply. Sending a meeting invitation only creates or updates a calendar item. It does not answer messages sent to your mailbox; enable Automatic Replies separately if that is needed.
Inviting people unnecessarily. An event with no attendees can block your own calendar without sending a meeting request. Add recipients only when they need to receive or coordinate around the event.
Choosing the wrong calendar or dates. An event placed on a secondary calendar might not affect the availability coworkers see. A mistaken end date can also leave part of your absence uncovered. Check the calendar name and both date fields before sending.
Forgetting to send an update. Changing the time or details after sending a meeting does not help invitees if the update is not sent. When Outlook prompts you, send the update to attendees.

Tips

Keep the title useful but discreet. “Out of office” makes the status easy to recognize. Put sensitive details only in an appropriate private channel, not in an invitation that may be visible to recipients or calendar delegates.
Use the event body for practical handover information. If appropriate, include a backup contact, the date you expect to return, or a pointer to shared coverage information. Avoid promising an exact response time if you will not be monitoring messages.
Consider a recurring event for a regular schedule. If you are unavailable at the same time each week, set recurrence in the event form and review the repeat pattern and end date. For a one-off holiday, do not create a repeating event by mistake.
Check what recipients will see. The invitation makes the event visible to attendees, but it does not change their own out of office settings. Their calendars and responses are separate from your availability status.
Update the event if plans change. Edit or cancel the calendar item promptly. If it has attendees, send the update or cancellation so their calendars do not keep showing outdated information.

Troubleshooting

The event appears as Busy, not Out of Office: Open it from the calendar, change Show as to Out of Office, and save. If it is a meeting with attendees, send the update when asked. Refresh the calendar or reopen Outlook if the old status remains visible.

Colleagues cannot see the event: Check that you created it on the work calendar they have access to, rather than a personal or unrelated calendar. Review calendar sharing permissions with your Microsoft 365 administrator if needed. A private event can limit the details others see, and some organizations restrict shared calendar visibility.

No invitation arrived: Confirm that the people are listed in the attendee field and that you selected Send, not just Save. Ask recipients to check Junk Email and their calendar, and verify that you used the right addresses. If Outlook is offline or still processing changes, connect to the internet and check the Outbox or Sync status before sending again to avoid duplicate invites.

Automatic replies are not going out: Verify that Automatic Replies are switched on for the mailbox receiving the messages and that the scheduled start and end times are correct. Some account types, including certain POP or IMAP configurations, may not offer the same server-side automatic reply feature. If the option is missing or the replies do not work, check with your organization’s Microsoft 365 administrator or account provider. Do not assume the calendar event itself activates replies.

The dates look shifted: Review the event’s time zone and whether All day is selected. For a timed event, choose the intended local time zone; for a full-day event, make sure the correct calendar dates are highlighted. When scheduling across regions, confirm the resulting dates in the calendar view rather than relying only on the time shown in the compose form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does an Outlook out of office invite turn on automatic replies?
No. The invite is a calendar event. Turn on Automatic Replies separately if you want Outlook to send a response to incoming email.

Can I block my calendar without inviting anyone?
Yes. Create an appointment or event without attendees, set Show as to Out of Office, and save it. It will block the calendar where you created it, subject to that calendar’s sharing and visibility settings.

Should I mark an absence as Busy or Out of Office?
Choose Out of Office when you are away and unavailable. Busy is better for a meeting or a period when you are occupied but not necessarily absent. The distinction helps people interpret your availability.

Can I set an out of office event for only part of a day?
Yes. Leave All day unchecked and enter the start and end times, then set Show as to Out of Office. Check the time zone and the calendar view to confirm the event covers the intended period.

What happens when I invite coworkers to the event?
They receive a meeting invitation and can accept, decline, or respond according to their Outlook settings. The invitation does not configure their own automatic replies or make them out of office; it communicates your absence and may appear on their calendars.

Can I set this up in Outlook on a phone?
Outlook mobile can create calendar events, but the labels and availability controls may differ by app version and account. If you cannot find an Out of Office availability choice, use Outlook for Windows, Mac, or the web to set and verify the status. You can still use Automatic Replies settings separately where your account supports them.

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

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