How to Set an Out Of Office Message in Microsoft Outlook

If you’re planning to go on a vacation, you might want to set automatic out-of-office (OOO) replies in Microsoft Outlook. OOO replies send automated email responses when you are unable to respond. In this article, I’ll explain how to set up out-of-office messages in Outlook for Windows, Mac, and the web.

Typically, OOO messages inform the sender that the recipient is away and they may contact someone else in case of any emergency. It’s possible to schedule out-of-office replies in Outlook for a specific timeframe and customize them to suit your needs.

How to create out-of-office messages in Outlook for Windows

Users can create an out-of-office reply in Outlook for Windows by following these steps:

• Launch the Outlook for Windows app and click the File tab.
• Navigate to the top-left corner, select Info, and then click Automatic Replies.

• In the Automatic Replies window, select Send automatic replies and enter the message in the text box.
• Users click the Only send during this time range checkbox to schedule the reply. Select the start and end dates and times respectively.

• Alternatively, users can choose to disable the out-of-office reply manually by clicking the Do not send automatic replies option in this window.
• Finally, click the OK button to apply the changes.

Outlook lets you enable automatic replies for users outside of your organization (including your personal contacts and/or external users), but you may want to think twice about enabling this setting. In addition to exposing yourself to spam, you may also reveal personal information such as your schedule, location, and availability times, leading to unwanted emails and potential security risks.

How to create out-of-office messages in Outlook on the web

Here’s how users can schedule automatic replies in Outlook on the web:

• Click the Gear icon in the top-right corner to open the Settings flyout.

• Select Automatic replies at the bottom of the pane, and then choose Mail >> Automatic Replies.

• Click the Turn on automatic replies toggle to enable out-of-office messages.

• Write the content of the out-of-office message in the text box. Users with Microsoft work or school accounts can type separate messages for people who are inside or outside their organization.
• It’s also possible to set a time period for sending out-of-office replies to emails sent during a specific period. Click the Save button at the bottom right corner and close the window.

How to create out-of-office messages in Outlook for Mac

Mac users can follow these steps to create an out-of-office message in Outlook for Mac:

• In Outlook for Mac, navigate to the menu bar and click Tools > Automatic Replies

• Click the Send automatic replies for account checkbox and write the message in the text box as shown below.

• Select the Send Replies Only During This Time Period option to schedule replies. Choose the start and end dates and times and then click OK to save the changes.

Outlook for Mac users who don’t use the schedule feature can disable the automatic replies manually.

How to set out-of-office replies for unsupported email accounts

Notably, the Outlook Automated Replies feature doesn’t support Yahoo, Gmail, IMAP, or POP accounts. In this case, users will need to create a rule to respond to email messages automatically.

Create an out-of-office message template

• Open the Outlook desktop app and click New Email.

• Enter the subject line and compose the email message.
• Select File > Save As and write the name of the template. Then, select the Outlook Template (*.oft) option in the Save as type drop-down menu.
• Save the template in the location c:\users\username\appdata\roaming\microsoft\templates.

Create an out-of-office rule

• Select File > Manage Rules & Alerts.

• Click the New Rule button in the E-mail Rules tab.

• Under Start from a blank rule, select Apply rule on messages I receive and click the Next button.

• In the Rules wizard, don’t make any changes to the Step 1 and Step 2 boxes to automatically reply to all emails. Click the Next button and Yes to confirm the changes.

• In the What do you want to do with the message? popup, click the reply using a specific template option in Step 1: Select action(s) available. In Step 2, click the a specific template link.

• Click the Look In dropdown menu and select the User Templates in File System option. Now, click the custom template and select Open >> Next.

• Choose any necessary exceptions that you want to add and click the Next button again.

• Enter a name for the rule, select the Turn on this rule option, and click Finish.

It’s important to note that the Outlook desktop app should be running to send out-of-office replies automatically while you’re away. The rule will stop working if Microsoft Outlook is closed.

To disable out-of-office replies, you will need to head over to File > Manage Rules & Alerts to manually turn off the rule.

Conclusion

Creating personalized out-of-office replies in Outlook is useful to let your colleagues know that you won’t be available for a few days. This can reduce stress and avoid miscommunication while you’re away attending a conference, taking a vacation, or simply having a break from work.

Lastly, be aware that the out-of-office messages you set up in Outlook will also be displayed in Microsoft Teams. This means that anyone who tries to reach you through Teams will see the message and be informed that you are unavailable.