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How to set up out-of-office reply

Communications KB-062

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to set up out-of-office reply. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

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Common Causes

Before configuring automatic replies, ensure your mailbox is added to Outlook. See How to add email to Outlook for instructions.

Set up in Outlook Desktop (Windows)

Method 1: Quick setup

  1. Click File in the top ribbon.
  2. Choose Info ► Automatic replies (or, in newer builds, File ► Automatic replies).
  3. Select Send automatic replies.
  4. Optionally tick Send replies only during this time period and set the start and end dates/times.
  5. Enter your internal reply in the text box.
  6. Click OK to activate.

Method 2: Detailed message (including external reply)

  1. Follow steps 1‑4 from Method 1.
  2. Select the Outside My Organization tab.
  3. Enter the message you want external senders to receive (optional but recommended).
  4. Click OK to save both messages.

Sample out‑of‑office message

Hello,

Thank you for your email. I am currently out of the office with limited access to email.

I will return on [date] and will respond to your message as soon as possible.

For urgent matters, please contact [colleague name] at [email/phone].

Best regards,

[Your name]

If you need to recover a deleted out‑of‑office message, see Deleted email recovery.

Set up in Outlook on the Web

  1. Open outlook.office.com in a browser.
  2. Click the Settings gear icon.
  3. Choose View all Outlook settings.
  4. Select Mail ► Automatic replies.
  5. Toggle Automatic replies on.
  6. Set the time range (optional).
  7. Enter your internal reply.
  8. If required, enable Send replies to external senders and type the external message.
  9. Click Save.

Set up on Mobile

Outlook app – iOS

  1. Open the Outlook app.
  2. Tap your profile picture in the top‑left corner.
  3. Tap Settings.
  4. Tap Mail ► Automatic replies.
  5. Toggle Automatic replies on.
  6. Set the start and end dates (optional) and type your message.
  7. Optionally enable External replies and add a separate message.

Outlook app – Android

  1. Open the Outlook app.
  2. Tap your profile picture at the top‑left.
  3. Select Settings.
  4. Tap Mail ► Automatic replies.
  5. Turn on Automatic replies.
  6. Configure dates and compose your internal and, if desired, external messages.

Important reminders

Combine with Teams status

  1. Open Microsoft Teams.
  2. Click your profile picture in the top‑right.
  3. Select Set status message.
  4. Choose Out of office.
  5. Configure the start and end dates and type the status message you want shown.
  6. Click Save.

Troubleshooting

Issue Solution
Can’t find Automatic Replies Verify you are using an Exchange/Office 365 mailbox and have the necessary permissions. Contact IT if the option is still missing.
Replies not sending Check that the correct time range is set and that the feature is turned on. See Email not sending or receiving for additional checks.
External replies not working Ensure the “Send replies to external senders” option is enabled and that your admin has not disabled external OOF for the organisation.
Delegated mailbox OOF not sent Delegates must set up their own automatic replies. The owner’s OOF does not apply to delegated access.
Shared mailbox OOF not sent Configure automatic replies directly in the shared mailbox (File ► Info ► Automatic replies) while logged in as a member with full access.
Rule conflicts preventing OOF Review any inbox rules that might move or delete incoming messages before the OOF can be sent. See Email not sending or receiving for guidance.
OOF not sent after mailbox migration After a migration, allow up to 24 hours for the new mailbox to fully synchronise. Verify the setting in the new environment and re‑enable if necessary.
OOF not working with POP/IMAP accounts POP/IMAP accounts do not support server‑side automatic replies. Use client‑side rules or consider migrating to Exchange.

For broader delivery issues, refer to Email delivery delays.

Need help?

If you cannot locate the automatic replies settings or need assistance with complex configurations, please open a ticket.

Still Having Issues?

Need more help? If the issue persists after trying these steps, please open a support ticket and our team will assist you.

💻 Open a Ticket

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