Setting an out-of-office reply in Outlook

Automatic replies let people know you are away and who to contact instead. You can set them from whichever version of Outlook is in front of you - they all change the same setting.

Step by step

1. Outlook on the web or new Outlook. Click the settings cog, then Accounts, then Automatic replies. Turn them on, set the dates, and write your message.
2. Classic Outlook on a PC. Go to File, then Automatic Replies (Out of Office), and fill in the same details.
3. On your phone. In the Outlook app, tap your profile picture, then the settings cog, tap your account, then Automatic Replies.
4. Write two versions. Use the separate box for people outside your organisation. Keep the external one short and avoid saying exactly how long the office is empty.
5. Name a contact. Give an alternative person and their contact details so nothing waits for your return.

If it does not go to plan

• Replies are not sending: check the end date has not already passed.
• Everyone gets a reply every time: that is normal for external senders in some setups; internal senders only get one per person.

Still stuck?

Call us on (07) 5619 6555 or start a remote support session and an engineer will take a look. Screens move around between app versions, so if what you see does not match these steps, that is usually why.