If you’re planning to take some time off work for a vacation or leave of absence, it’s helpful to set up an out-of-office reply in Microsoft Outlook. This feature allows you to inform others that you’re away and won’t be available to respond for a specific period. The great thing about Outlook’s automatic reply feature is that you can schedule it according to your needs, or manually turn it on and off as preferred. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of setting up an out-of-office reply in Outlook on Windows, Mac, and the web.
Setting an Out-of-Office Reply in Outlook on Windows
Creating and scheduling an out-of-office reply in the Outlook desktop app on Windows is quick and easy.
Step 1: Launch Outlook on Windows and click on the File tab.
Step 2: Ensure that Info is selected on the top-left corner. Then, click on Automatic replies on the right side.
Step 3: At the top of the pop-up window, select the option for Send automatic replies, and then type your message in the text box at the bottom.
Step 4: To schedule the reply, check the box for Only send during this time frame, and choose the start and end dates and times. If you don’t specify a timeframe, you can return to this section to manually turn off the automatic reply.
Step 5: Click OK when you’re done.
Setting an Out-of-Office Reply in Outlook on Mac
If you’re using the newer version of Outlook on Mac, follow these steps to set up and schedule your out-of-office reply.
Step 1: Open Outlook on Mac and go to Tools > Automatic replies in the menu bar.
Step 2: In the Automatic Replies window, enable automatic replies by checking the box at the top, and then enter your message in the box below.
Step 3: To schedule the reply, check the box for Send replies only during this time period. Choose the start and end dates and times. If you don’t want to use the scheduling feature, you can return to this section to manually turn off the automatic reply.
Step 4: If you want to send the out-of-office reply to people outside your organization, select the appropriate checkbox. You can choose to send only to your contacts or to all external senders. Enter the automatic reply you’d like to send in the text box provided.
Step 5: Click OK to save your settings.
Setting an Out-of-Office Reply in Outlook on the Web
If you use Outlook on the web, creating and scheduling your automatic reply is just as simple.
Step 1: Visit Outlook on the web and sign in to your account.
Step 2: Click the Gear icon on the top-right and select View all Outlook settings at the bottom of the sidebar.
Step 3: In the pop-up window, choose Mail on the left and then select Automatic replies on the right.
Step 4: Toggle the switch at the top to turn on the automatic reply and enter your out-of-office message.
Step 5: To schedule your automatic reply, check the box for Send replies during a time period. Choose the start and end dates and times. Additionally, you can select other settings that apply to Outlook Calendar during the specified timeframe.
Step 6: If you want to send this automatic reply only to your Outlook contacts, check the box at the bottom.
Step 7: Once you’re done, click Save and then close the settings by clicking the X on the top-right.
Now that you know how to set up an automatic reply in Outlook, take a moment to explore the application’s updated features or discover more things you can do in Microsoft Outlook.
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