How To Set Up Out-of-Office Replies in Outlook in 5 Steps

When it comes to professional communication, setting up an out of office reply in Outlook can be a great way to ensure that your contacts are aware that you’re away from the office. An out of office reply lets your contacts know that you will be unable to respond to their emails for a certain period, which helps to prevent communication delays. This can be particularly helpful if you’re out of the office for an extended period, such as on vacation or due to illness. Setting up an out of office reply in Outlook is a simple process, and this blog post will provide step-by-step instructions to help you get started. An out of office reply can help you maintain professionalism and keep communication channels open even when you’re away. By following the steps outlined in this post, you can be sure that your contacts will receive the response they need in a timely manner.

1. Open Outlook.
2. Click on the File tab in the upper left-hand corner, then select Automatic Replies (Out of Office) on the next screen.
3. Select “Send automatic replies”
4. Enter in your desired automatic reply message.

When to use an out-of-office reply

The following situations are examples of when you might use an out-of-office response:

What is an out-of-office reply?

1. Click File on the Outlook menu

Click File on the Outlook menu bar. This will bring up your Account Information. Then click on Automatic Replies.

2. Set your date range

Make sure the radio button “Send automatic replies” is selected once you’re in Automatic Replies. There will be a checkbox below this that you can use to select the time period for your out-of-office response. The “Start time:” and “End time:” fields are activated when the box is checked. Set your date range.

3. Compose your out-of-office reply

Compose your out-of-office reply in the text editor. There are two tabs: Inside My Organization, which is the default selection, and Outside My Organization.

Keep in mind that replying to any email sent to people outside of your organization with an automatic out-of-office message will land your reply in your inbox. Make sure to choose “My contacts only” to prevent accidentally sending your Outlook out-of-office reply to people you don’t want to. ”.

4. Save the setting

Your out-of-office reply will be prepared and scheduled to send for the date range you selected once you’ve completed it in Outlook and verified your settings.

By sending yourself an email and ensuring that you receive the out-of-office reply, you can test the automated message. When you get back to work, check the Automatic Replies setting panel once more to make sure your out-of-office reply is off.

Examples of out-of-office replies:

The next time you’re away, you might set up a few of these automatic reply messages in Outlook or the email client used by your company:

Out-of-office reply for when youre on vacation

Out-of-office reply for when youre on sick leave

Due to illness, I’m away from the office until further notice. Please direct any work-related messages to my manager or HR. Please call me at 555-555-5555 on my cellphone in an emergency. Thank you!.

Out-of-office reply for when youre on parental leave

Out-of-office reply for when youre at a conference

Im attending a conference from April 10 to April 13. Please contact my manager or HR with any inquiries or requests. Please call me at 555-555-5555 on my cellphone in an emergency. When I return, I look forward to answering emails. Thank you!.

Please note that Indeed is not affiliated with any of the businesses mentioned in this article.

How to Set Out of Office in Outlook

FAQ

How do I set up out of office in Outlook 2020?

1. Select File > Automatic Replies. …
2. In the Automatic Replies box, select Send automatic replies. …
3. Write the response you want to send to coworkers or teammates while you are away from the office on the Inside My Organization tab.
4. Select OK to save your settings.

How do I set my email to say out of office?

1. On your computer, open Gmail.
2. In the top right, click Settings. …
3. Scroll down to the “Vacation responder” section.
4. Select Vacation responder on.
5. Fill in the date range, subject, and message.
6. Check the box next to your message if you only want your contacts to see your vacation response.

How do I set up an out of office reply and forward in Outlook?

1. Click Rules in the Out of Office Assistant’s lower left corner.
2. Click Add Rule…, and then check the box marked Forward.
3. In the To… field, enter your forwarding address. …
4. Choose how you want to receive mail from the menu next to “Method:”

How do I set my Out of office status?

1. Select Set status message from your profile picture, which is located at the top of Teams.
2. At the bottom of the list of choices, choose Schedule out of office.
3. Turn on the toggle next to “Turn on automatic replies” on the screen that appears.
4. Type an out of office message in the text box.