How to Set Up Out of Office in Outlook

You need Outlook to answer email while you are away, and the right switch moves around by app and account type. Start with Automatic Replies for Microsoft 365, Exchange, Outlook.com, and Hotmail-style mailboxes. If that button is missing, use Microsoft’s supported rule-and-template workaround in classic Outlook, then leave Outlook open so replies can send.

1. Start with new Outlook for Windows

New Outlook works through Automatic Replies for Microsoft 365 work or school accounts hosted in Exchange Online and for Outlook.com or Hotmail accounts.

1. 1.Select View.
2. 2.Select View settings.
3. 3.Select Accounts.
4. 4.Select Automatic Replies.
5. 5.Turn on Automatic replies.
6. 6.Turn on Send replies only during a time period and set the start and end time.
7. 7.Enter the internal reply under Send automatic replies inside your organization.
8. 8.Turn on Send replies outside your organization and enter the external reply.
9. 9.Select Save.

Microsoft says Automatic Replies in new Outlook does not support Gmail, Yahoo, or other POP or IMAP accounts. Use a shorter external reply than the internal one, and keep private travel details, alternate contacts, and internal escalation notes inside the organization-only message.

2. Set it in classic Outlook for Windows

1. 1.Select File.
2. 2.Select Automatic Replies.
3. 3.Select Send automatic replies.
4. 4.Select Only send during this time range and set the start and end time.
5. 5.Type the internal reply on Inside My Organization.
6. 6.Select Outside My Organization.
7. 7.Select Auto-reply to people outside my organization and type the external reply.
8. 8.Select OK.

Use this path in classic Outlook for Windows when the account shows the built-in Automatic Replies button. This route applies to Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook 2024, and Outlook 2021 with Exchange or Microsoft 365 mailbox accounts where Automatic Replies appears.

3. Use Outlook on the web when the app is unavailable

Outlook on the web is the cleanest option when you are away from your Windows or Mac computer, and it also exposes meeting-handling options while you create the reply.

1. 1.Open Outlook on the web or Outlook.com.
2. 2.Select Settings.
3. 3.Select Accounts.
4. 4.Select Automatic replies.
5. 5.Turn on Automatic replies.
6. 6.Turn on Send replies only during a time period and set the date range.
7. 7.Select Block my calendar for this period to mark the time away.
8. 8.Select Automatically decline new invitations for events that occur during this period to reject new meeting requests during the absence.
9. 9.Select Decline and cancel my meetings during this period to clear meetings already on the calendar.
10. 10.Type the reply message.
11. 11.Turn on Send replies outside your organization and enter the external message.
12. 12.Select Save.

Some current web mailboxes place the same setting under Settings, then Mail, then Automatic replies.

4. Turn it on from Outlook for Mac

In Outlook for Mac, open Outlook in Mail view, then select Tools, Automatic Replies, and the account if Outlook asks for one. Turn on Send Automatic Replies, enter the internal reply in Message, turn on Send replies during a specific time period or Time Period, then set the start and end time. Enter the external reply in Message for outside your organization, select Send only to my contacts or Send to everyone, and close the Automatic Replies window.

Outlook for Mac uses the Tools menu instead of the Windows File menu. Use it with Exchange, Outlook.com, Hotmail, Microsoft 365, or Office 365 accounts.

5. Switch it on in Outlook mobile

1. 1.Open Outlook mobile and select Settings.
2. 2.Tap the email account.
3. 3.Select Automatic Replies.
4. 4.Turn on the Automatic Replies switch.
5. 5.Turn on Reply during a time period and set the start and end time.
6. 6.Turn on Block my calendar to show the absence on your calendar.
7. 7.Select Clear my calendar, then choose the meetings you want to cancel or decline.
8. 8.Choose Reply to everyone or reply only to your organization.
9. 9.Select Save or the check mark to apply the reply.

Use the Outlook app on iPhone, iPad, or Android with Microsoft 365, Exchange, Exchange Hybrid, and Outlook.com accounts. If your mailbox lives on an on-premises Exchange server, set the reply from Outlook on the web or desktop Outlook instead, because Microsoft notes automatic replies enabled from the mobile app can quietly revert once you close the settings. Repeat the same steps for each account that needs its own out-of-office reply.

6. Build a rule when Automatic Replies is missing

For POP, IMAP, and other accounts without built-in Automatic Replies, Microsoft’s supported classic Outlook workaround uses an Outlook template and a rule.

1. 1.Create a new email message with the reply text.
2. 2.Select File.
3. 3.Select Save As.
4. 4.Set Save as type to Outlook Template (*.oft).
5. 5.Select Save.
6. 6.Select File.
7. 7.Select Manage Rules & Alerts.
8. 8.Select E-mail Rules.
9. 9.Select New Rule.
10. 10.Select Apply rule on messages I receive.
11. 11.Select Next.
12. 12.Select Yes when Outlook asks to apply the rule to every message.
13. 13.Select reply using a specific template.
14. 14.Select a specific template.
15. 15.Set Look In to User Templates in File System.
16. 16.Select the saved template.
17. 17.Select Open.
18. 18.Select Next and add exceptions.
19. 19.Select Next, name the rule, and select Turn on this rule.
20. 20.Select Finish.

Outlook must stay open and running for the rule to send replies. Use exceptions for mailing lists and automated messages so the rule does not answer mail that should stay silent.

7. Mark the time away on your calendar

A calendar event marked Out of office changes availability only. It does not send automatic email replies.

In new Outlook, set the calendar block by selecting Calendar, Home, and New Event. Add the title and dates, turn on All day for a full-day absence, open the Busy dropdown in the Options group, select Out of office, and select Save.

In classic Outlook, select Calendar, Home, and New Appointment. Enter the title and dates, select All day event for a full-day absence, set Show As to Out of office, and select Save & Close.

Classic Outlook also supports CTRL+SHIFT+Q to create a new meeting request for calendar visibility. That shortcut does not turn on email automatic replies.

8. Sync it through Teams or Copilot

1. 1.Select your profile picture.
2. 2.Select Set status message.
3. 3.Select Schedule out of office.
4. 4.Turn on Automatic replies.
5. 5.Type the out-of-office message.
6. 6.Turn on Send replies outside my organization and enter the external reply.
7. 7.Turn on Send replies only during a time period and set the start and end time.
8. 8.Select Save.

For Teams work or school accounts connected to Outlook and Exchange, the out-of-office status syncs with Outlook automatic replies. Microsoft notes that setting out of office from the Teams client is not supported for mailboxes hosted on an on-premises Exchange server, so those users should set the reply from Outlook instead. In Teams desktop, use the profile menu. The alternate Teams desktop path is Settings and more, then Settings, then General, then Out of Office, then Schedule.

In Teams mobile, select your profile picture, then your current status, then Out of office, then Set auto reply. Compose the message, choose Select your start and end dates, then set the date and time range.

Microsoft 365 Copilot can also set, update, or turn off automatic replies in English, and it requires both a Microsoft 365 subscription and a Microsoft 365 Copilot subscription. Open the Microsoft 365 Copilot app or Copilot inside Outlook, type a prompt such as Set up automatic replies for tomorrow, review the draft, and confirm it.

9. Ask an admin to set mailbox replies

For managed Microsoft 365 mailboxes, an administrator can set automatic replies without signing in as the mailbox owner.

In the Microsoft 365 admin center for a user mailbox, sign in to the Microsoft 365 portal or Microsoft 365 admin center, then select Users, Active users, the user with a Microsoft Exchange mailbox, Mail settings, and Automatic replies.

In the Exchange admin center for a user mailbox, sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin portal with administrator credentials, then select Admin Centers, Exchange, Recipients, Mailboxes, the mailbox, Others, and Manage automatic replies under Automatic replies.

1. 1.Select Teams & groups.
2. 2.Select Shared mailboxes.
3. 3.Select the shared mailbox.
4. 4.Select Edit under Automatic replies.
5. 5.Select Send automatic replies to senders inside this organization.
6. 6.Enter the inside-organization and outside-organization replies.
7. 7.Select Save.

For a shared mailbox, use the Microsoft 365 admin center. Microsoft notes that shared mailbox automatic replies are text only and do not include images.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Automatic Replies missing in Outlook?

The built-in Automatic Replies option appears for supported Microsoft 365, Exchange, and Outlook.com-style mailboxes. For POP, IMAP, Gmail, and Yahoo accounts in new Outlook, use the classic Outlook rule-and-template workaround, and keep Outlook running.

Can Outlook send one reply to coworkers and another to everyone else?

Yes. Supported Outlook automatic replies include an internal message and an optional external message for senders outside your organization.

Does marking my Outlook calendar Out of office send replies?

No. The calendar status only changes availability. Email replies require Automatic Replies, Teams sync, Copilot confirmation, an admin setting, or the classic Outlook rule workaround.

Can I schedule Outlook out-of-office replies before I leave?

Yes. New Outlook, classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, Outlook for Mac, Outlook mobile, Teams, and Microsoft 365 Copilot all support a time period for automatic replies on supported accounts.

Can an admin set automatic replies for a shared mailbox?

Yes. In the Microsoft 365 admin center, an admin can open Teams & groups, Shared mailboxes, choose the mailbox, edit Automatic replies, enter inside and outside replies, and save. Microsoft says shared mailbox replies are text only.