Setting Up an Out-of-Office Auto-Reply in Outlook

Setting up an out-of-office message ensures callers and email senders know when you'll be back. Here's how to do it in Outlook. For Outlook Desktop (Windows): 1. Go to File > Automatic Replies (Out of Office) If you don't see "Automatic Replies," you may be using a POP/IMAP account — scroll down for that method. 2. Select "Send automatic replies" 3. Check "Only send during this time range" and set your start and end date/time — Outlook will automatically turn the reply off when you return. 4. In the "Inside My Organization" tab, type your message for coworkers. 5. Click the "Outside My Organization" tab and type a message for external contacts. Typical content: "Thank you for your email. I am out of the office from [date] to [date] and will have limited access to email. For urgent matters, please contact [colleague name] at [email/phone]. I will respond upon my return." 6. Click OK. For Outlook on the Web (outlook.office.com): 1. Click the gear icon (Settings) > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Automatic replies 2. Toggle on "Turn on automatic replies" 3. Set the date range and type your messages 4. Click Save For POP/IMAP accounts (non-Microsoft email): Outlook Desktop doesn't have a built-in auto-reply for these account types. You'll need to: - Set up a server-side auto-reply through your email host's webmail interface, or - Use Outlook Rules to send a specific reply template — contact us if you need help setting this up. Tip: Before your vacation, test by sending yourself an email from a different address to make sure the auto-reply is working.