How to set up an Out of Office message in Office 365 - GCIT (2024)

FAQs

How do I set up an out of office message in Outlook 365 online? ›

At the top of the page, select Settings > Mail > Automatic replies. Select the Turn on automatic replies toggle. Select the Send replies only during a time period check box, and then enter a start and end time.

You might use an automatic reply if: You will be out of the office and you need to let others know. When using an Out of Office reply, be sure to protect yourself by keeping the reply vague (i.e. "I will be away from my computer until xx/xx/xx") and do not include location of vacation or any other specific information.

I will be out of the office starting (Starting Date) through (End Date) returning(Date of Return). If you need immediate assistance during my absence, please contact (Contacts Name) at (Contacts Email Address). Otherwise I will respond to your emails as soon as possible upon my return. Thank you for your message.

If you want to turn off Out of Office messages, select "Do not send automatic replies," and then click OK to save your changes. Now that you've turned off the autoresponder, people will no longer receive Out of Office messages from you. To enable Out of Office replies, select "Send automatic replies" instead.

The Classic Out-of-Office Email Template

Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, I will be out of the office from [Date] to [Date] and will have limited access to email. In my absence, please contact [Name] at [Email]. I will respond promptly to your email once I return on [Date].

On your profile, click Out of Office. Enable Set Out of Office message. Select the start date for the time you're out of the office. The start date is just to let people know when you're out.

Launch the Outlook app on your Android smartphone and tap the app icon in the upper-left corner. Tap the Settings icon. Tap the mail account where you want to activate this feature. Choose the Automatic replies option and turn on its toggle.

Create an "out of office event" on your calendar

In Calendar, on the Home tab, select New Event. Add a title for the event, then select the start and end dates. To block out an entire day (or days), slide the All day toggle to the right. Busy, then choose Out of office from the drop-down.

Check if the OOF is turned off. Go to File>Automatic Replies. You can see three options on the screen: Send automatic replies, Don't send automatic replies, Schedule an automatic reply. If you can't see the "Automatic Replies" option, it signifies that the feature is turned OFF for your account.

Click on the "Settings" gear icon in the top-right corner of your screen. In the drop-down menu, click on "View all Outlook settings". On the left side panel, select "Mail" and click "Automatic Replies". In the Automatic Replies window, toggle the switch to turn it on.

Why is my out of office reply not working in Outlook 365? ›

Check if the OOF is turned off. Go to File>Automatic Replies. You can see three options on the screen: Send automatic replies, Don't send automatic replies, Schedule an automatic reply. If you can't see the "Automatic Replies" option, it signifies that the feature is turned OFF for your account.