What an automatic reply does and when to use it

An automatic reply in Outlook sends a message back to anyone who emails you while you are away, on vacation, or temporarily unavailable. The reply goes out immediately after someone sends you a message — you do not have to do anything. This is useful when you know you will not be checking email for a few days or longer, so people know not to expect an immediate response from you.

Outlook calls this feature "Out of Office" on desktop computers and "Focused Inbox" settings on the web version. The exact steps differ depending on whether you use Outlook on Windows, Mac, or Outlook.com in a browser. This guide covers all three.

Key Takeaways

  • Desktop Outlook (Windows and Mac) uses the File menu to turn on Out of Office, while Outlook.com uses Settings in the top right corner.
  • You write one message that goes to everyone who emails you during the time period you set — you do not write individual replies.
  • The automatic reply only sends once per person, so if someone emails you twice, they get the message the first time but not the second.
  • You must set both a start date and an end date, or the reply will not turn on.
  • Turning off the automatic reply is as simple as opening the same menu and clicking the off button when you return.

Setting up an automatic reply in Outlook on Windows

Open Outlook on your Windows computer. Click the File menu in the top left corner. Look for the option that says Automatic Replies or Out of Office — the exact wording depends on your version of Outlook, but it will be in this menu.

A window will open. Check the box next to Send automatic replies. Now you will see two options: you can send replies only while you are away, or you can send different replies to people inside your organization and people outside it. Most people choose the first option unless they work at a large company with specific internal communication needs.

In the text box, type the message you want to send. Keep it short — something like "I am out of the office until Monday, January 15th and will respond to your email when I return. For urgent matters, please contact [colleague name] at [email]." Then set your start and end dates using the calendar boxes. Click OK when you are done.

Setting up an automatic reply in Outlook on Mac

Open Outlook on your Mac. Click Outlook in the menu bar at the very top of the screen, then select Preferences. A new window opens. Look for Mail in the left sidebar and click it, then find and click Automatic Replies.

Check the box that says Send automatic replies. Type your message in the text box. Set your start date and time in the first calendar field, then set your end date and time in the second field. Make sure both dates are filled in — if you leave either one blank, the automatic reply will not turn on. Click the save button (usually a disk icon) or close the window, and your settings will save automatically.

Setting up an automatic reply in Outlook.com (web version)

Go to Outlook.com in your web browser and sign in. Click the gear icon in the top right corner of the screen. From the dropdown menu, select View all Outlook settings. On the left side, click Mail, then look for Automatic Replies in the list below it.

Toggle the switch to turn on automatic replies. A text box will appear where you type your message. Below that, you will see fields for start and end dates and times. Fill in both — again, both must be set or the feature will not work. You can also choose whether to send replies to everyone or only to people in your contacts. When you are finished, scroll down and click Save.

What happens after you turn on the automatic reply

Once you turn on the automatic reply, it starts working at the date and time you set. Every person who sends you an email will get your message back right away. If the same person emails you multiple times, they will only receive the automatic reply once — the second and third emails will not trigger another reply. This prevents your inbox from creating a chain of back-and-forth automatic messages.

You can still receive emails normally while the automatic reply is on. The reply does not stop incoming mail; it just sends a message back to the sender. When you return and want to turn off the automatic reply, go back to the same menu (File > Automatic Replies on Windows, Outlook > Preferences > Mail > Automatic Replies on Mac, or Settings > Mail > Automatic Replies on Outlook.com) and uncheck the box or toggle the switch to off.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most common mistake is forgetting to set an end date. If you only set a start date, the automatic reply will keep sending indefinitely — even after you return to the office. Always fill in both the start and end dates before clicking OK or Save.

Another mistake is writing a message that is too long or too personal. Keep your automatic reply brief and professional. Include only the dates you will be away and who to contact for urgent matters. Do not include your phone number, home address, or other personal information in an automatic reply that goes to everyone who emails you.

On Outlook.com, some people turn on the automatic reply but forget to click the Save button at the bottom of the page. If your automatic reply is not working, go back to Settings and check that the toggle is on and that you clicked Save.

Turning off the automatic reply when you return

When you come back and want to stop sending automatic replies, the process is the same as turning it on. On Windows, go to File > Automatic Replies and uncheck the box. On Mac, go to Outlook > Preferences > Mail > Automatic Replies and uncheck the box. On Outlook.com, go to Settings > Mail > Automatic Replies and toggle the switch to off.

You do not have to wait for the end date you set — you can turn it off at any time. If you set an end date but come back early, just turn it off manually. If you forget to turn it off and the end date passes, the automatic reply will stop on its own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send different automatic replies to different people?

On desktop Outlook (Windows and Mac), yes — when you open Automatic Replies, you can choose to send one message to people inside your organization and a different message to people outside it. On Outlook.com, you can only send one message to everyone. If you need more control, use the desktop version.

What if I do not know my end date yet?

Set an end date anyway — you can always turn off the automatic reply early when you return. If you leave the end date blank, the feature will not turn on at all. Pick a date that is later than when you expect to return, then manually turn it off when you get back.

Will the automatic reply send to spam or junk mail senders?

Yes, the automatic reply sends to anyone who emails you, including people sending spam. This is one reason to keep your message brief and not include personal information. If you are concerned about this, you can turn on the automatic reply only for people in your contacts by selecting that option in the settings.

Can I schedule an automatic reply for a future date?

Yes. You can turn on the automatic reply now and set it to start on a future date. Just fill in the start date as the day you will be away, and the end date as when you return. The reply will not send until the start date arrives.

Does the automatic reply work if I close Outlook?

Yes. Once you turn on the automatic reply, it works on Outlook's servers, not on your computer. You can close Outlook, shut down your computer, or go offline — the automatic reply will still send to incoming emails.