Set Automatic Replies (Out of Office) through Outlook (Windows)

Background

We all have occasions where we're out of the office or unable to receive email.  Automatic Replies allow us to communicate to our contacts that we are unavailable while setting the expectation as to when we'll be back in touch.  We can also use this as a tool to inform our contacts of any alternative means of contact, for example in the case of an urgent message.  It also allows us to delegate contact to other members of our team who might be in a position to assist.

Steps to Follow

1. Select File button  from the toolbar in Outlook
   

2. Select the Automatic Replies button.

   

3. In the Automatic Replies box, select Send automatic replies.

   Optionally, set a date range for your automatic replies. This will turn off automatic replies at the date and time you enter for the end time. Otherwise, you'll need to turn off automatic replies manually.

   Note: If you don't see Automatic Replies, use Rules and Alerts to set up your out-of-office message.

4. On the Inside My Organization tab, type the response that you want to send to teammates or colleagues while you are out of the office.

   

   Note: Sending automatic replies to anyone outside my organization will send your automatic reply to all incoming email, including customers, suppliers, newsletters, advertisements, and potentially, junk email. If you want to send automatic replies to those outside your organization, we recommend choosing My contacts only.

5. Select OK to save your settings.

Turn off automatic out-of-office replies via the Windows App

When Outlook is setup to send automatic replies, you'll see a message under the ribbon with this information. Select Turn off to disable automatic out-of-office replies. If you want to modify the dates for your automatic reply or the message sent, use the steps above to modify your settings.

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