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Out-of-Office (OOO) Messages

How do I set an out-of-office message for when I'm away?

Setting an out-of-office (OOO) message in Outlook can help inform people that you're away and provide them with relevant information. Here's a general guide on how to set an out-of-office message in Microsoft Outlook:

Outlook on your computer:

  1. Launch Outlook on your computer.
  2. Click on the File tab in the upper left corner of the Outlook window.
  3. Under the Info tab, click on Automatic Replies (Out of Office).
  4. In the Automatic Replies dialog box, check the box that says Send automatic replies.
  5. Choose the start and end dates for your out-of-office message. This helps Outlook know when to start and stop sending automatic replies.
  6. Compose Your Out-of-Office Message. In the Inside My Organization tab, compose the message that you want to send to colleagues within your organization. In the Outside My Organization tab, compose the message for people outside your organization.
  7. If needed, customize your out-of-office settings, such as forwarding emails to another person.
  8. Once you've composed your messages and adjusted settings, click OK to save your changes and close the Automatic Replies dialog box.

Outlook on the Web (Outlook.com):

  1. Go to https://outlook.office.com and sign in to your account.
  2. Click on the gear icon in the top-right corner and select View all Outlook settings at the bottom.
  3. In the Settings dialog, go to Mail and then select Automatic replies.
  4. Turn on the toggle switch for Send automatic replies.
  5. Choose the start and end dates for your out-of-office message.
  6. Compose your out-of-office message for people inside and outside your organization.
  7. Click Save to apply your changes.

Outlook Mobile app:

  1. On your mobile device, open the Outlook app.
  2. Tap on the account picture on the top left, and then tap on the gear icon on the bottom.
  3. Under Mail Accounts, tap on the account name.
  4. Tap on Automatic Replies.
  5. Tap on the toggle next to Automatic Replies to enable the OOO auto-reply.
  6. Compose your out-of-office message for people inside and outside your organization.

  7. Tap on the checkmark on the top right to apply your changes.

    Turn Off Automatic Replies:

How do I disable my out-of-office message?

In Outlook on your computer:

After returning, go back to the Automatic Replies (Out of Office) section, uncheck the Send automatic replies box, and click OK to turn off the out-of-office message.

In Outlook on the Web and the Outlook Mobile app:

When you return, go back to the Automatic replies section and turn off the toggle switch for Send automatic replies.