How to Set Up an Out of Office in Outlook

To set an out of office in Outlook, open Automatic Replies: in new Outlook or on the web go to Settings > Accounts > Automatic replies; in classic Outlook go to File > Automatic Replies. Turn it on, set a start and end time, type your message, and save. Automatic Replies works on Microsoft 365 and Exchange accounts.

An out of office (or “automatic reply”) tells people you’re away and when you’ll be back, without you lifting a finger while you’re gone. The exact steps depend on which version of Outlook you use, so this guide covers new Outlook, classic Outlook, the web and mobile, plus what to do if your account doesn’t have the feature.

What is an out of office (automatic reply) in Outlook?

An automatic reply is a message Outlook sends on your behalf to people who email you while you’re away. You can set a start and end time so it switches on and off automatically, and you can send a different message to people inside your organisation versus external senders. The feature is called Automatic Replies, and it needs a Microsoft 365 or Exchange account (most work accounts have this).

How do you set an out of office in new Outlook (and on the web)?

New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web use the same steps:

1. Click the Settings gear (top right).
2. Go to Accounts > Automatic replies.
3. Turn Automatic replies on.
4. Tick Send replies only during a time period and set a start and end date/time (recommended, so it turns itself off).
5. Type your message in the box.
6. To reply to external senders too, tick Send replies outside your organisation and type a message for them.
7. Click Save.

How do you set an out of office in classic Outlook?

In classic Outlook for Windows:

1. Go to File.
2. Click Automatic Replies (Out of Office).
3. Select Send automatic replies.
4. Tick Only send during this time range and set the start and end.
5. On the Inside My Organization tab, type the message colleagues will see.
6. On the Outside My Organization tab, optionally enable and write a message for external senders.
7. Click OK.

How do you set an out of office on the Outlook mobile app?

In the Outlook app for iPhone or Android: tap your profile/account icon, then the Settings gear, choose your account, and tap Automatic Replies. Turn it on, choose whether to reply to everyone or your organisation only, type your message, and save.

How do you set an out of office if you don’t have a Microsoft 365/Exchange account?

Personal accounts (Gmail, Outlook.com or other IMAP/POP accounts) don’t have the Automatic Replies feature in Outlook. You have two options:

• Set the vacation responder in the webmail itself. For example, Gmail has a “Vacation responder” in its settings, and Outlook.com has “Automatic replies”. This is the more reliable option.
• Create a rule with a reply template in Outlook. Build a message template, then a rule that replies using it. Note that for POP/IMAP accounts Outlook must stay open on your computer for the rule to run, which is why the webmail option is usually better.

What should your out of office message say?

Keep it short and useful. A good automatic reply includes:

• That you’re away and when you’ll be back.
• Who to contact for urgent matters (name and email).
• Whether you’ll have any access to email.

Example: “Thank you for your email. I’m out of the office until Monday 8 September and will have limited access to email. For urgent matters, please contact Jane Lee at jane.lee@example.com. I’ll respond to your message on my return.”

Practice on your own inbox

Automatic replies are one of many Outlook features that save time once you know where they live.

Our hands-on Microsoft Outlook training courses cover automatic replies, rules, signatures and more, in-class in Sydney and Melbourne or Online Live across Australia. While you’re here, see also how to recall an email in Outlook.

Frequently asked questions