Set your away message in Outlook on the web in three steps
Open Outlook in your web browser and select the gear icon in the top right corner. Click View all Outlook settings, then choose Mail from the left sidebar. Select Automatic replies and toggle the switch to On. Type your message in the text box, set the dates and times when the message should send, and click Save.
Your away message will now send automatically to anyone who emails you during the time period you specified. The message appears in their inbox immediately after they send you an email, so they know you are away and when you will return.
If you use Outlook on your desktop computer instead of the web version, the process is slightly different but takes the same amount of time. The automatic replies feature works the same way — people receive your message right after they email you, and you can set specific dates for when it turns on and off.
Key Takeaways
- Outlook's automatic reply feature sends your away message to everyone who emails you, so you do not have to respond individually.
- You can set a start date and end date, so the message only sends during the time you are actually away.
- The web version and desktop version both have automatic replies, but you access them through different menus.
- Your away message appears in the sender's inbox right after they email you, not in a separate folder.
How to set an away message in Outlook on your desktop
Open Outlook on your computer and click the File tab at the top left. Select Info, then look for Automatic Replies (or Out of Office in older versions). Click that option and a window will open where you can type your message.
Check the box next to Send automatic replies to turn the feature on. You can then set a start time and end time — Outlook will send your message only during that window. Type your away message in the text field, make sure the dates are correct, and click OK.
Desktop Outlook stores your automatic reply settings on your computer, so if you use both the web version and the desktop app, you may need to set up the message in both places. The web version and desktop version do not always sync automatically.
What to include in your away message
Keep your away message short and clear. Include when you will return, whether you will have email access while away, and who to contact if the matter is urgent. A message like "I am out of the office until January 15 and will respond to your email when I return. For urgent matters, please contact Sarah at sarah@company.com" tells people what they need to know.
Avoid oversharing personal details or making jokes that might not land with everyone who reads it. Your away message goes to clients, colleagues, and strangers, so keep the tone professional. If you are away for a long time, you can mention that you will have limited email access or will not be checking messages at all.
Set different messages for people inside and outside your organization
In Outlook on the web, the automatic replies settings let you create two separate messages. One message goes to people in your organization, and a different message goes to everyone else. This is useful if you want to give internal colleagues more detail or a different contact person than you would share with external senders.
To do this, click the toggle next to Send replies only to my contacts in the automatic replies menu. Then type one message in the first box (for people in your organization) and a different message in the second box (for external senders). Both messages will send automatically based on who emails you.
Desktop Outlook also has this option, but it is labeled differently. Look for a checkbox that says something like "Only send out-of-office message to my contacts" or "Send out-of-office message to external senders." The exact wording depends on which version of Outlook you have.
Turn off your away message when you return
If you set an end date when you created your away message, Outlook will turn it off automatically at that time. You do not have to do anything — the message will stop sending once the date and time you specified arrives.
If you did not set an end date, or if you return early, you can turn off the message manually. In Outlook on the web, go back to Settings > Mail > Automatic replies and toggle the switch to Off. On desktop, open File > Info > Automatic Replies and uncheck the box next to Send automatic replies.
Troubleshooting: Your away message is not sending
If people are not receiving your away message, check that the automatic replies feature is actually turned on. In the web version, make sure the toggle switch is blue and set to On. On desktop, make sure the checkbox next to Send automatic replies is checked, not just filled in partially.
Also check the date and time range. If you set the message to start tomorrow but it is still today, the message will not send yet. If the end date has already passed, the message has turned off automatically. Adjust the dates and times to match when you actually want the message to send.
If you use multiple email accounts in Outlook, the automatic replies setting applies only to the account you are currently viewing. Switch to the correct account and set up the away message there. Some versions of Outlook also require you to be connected to the internet for automatic replies to work properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I send different away messages to different people?
Outlook does not let you send different messages to specific people. You can send one message to people in your organization and a different message to external senders, but you cannot customize the message for individual contacts. If you need to send a personalized message to someone specific, you would have to email them directly instead of using automatic replies.
Will my away message send to people I have blocked?
No. If you have blocked someone in Outlook, they will not receive your away message or any other email from you. Blocked contacts will see an error message instead, telling them the email could not be delivered.
Does my away message send to spam or junk mail?
Your away message goes to the sender's inbox, not their spam folder. However, if the sender's email system flags your message as spam, they may not see it. This is rare with automatic replies, but it can happen if your message contains certain words or formatting that spam filters flag.
Can I schedule an away message for a future date?
Yes. When you set up automatic replies, you can choose a start date and time in the future. The message will not send until that date arrives. This is useful if you want to set up your away message before you leave, rather than waiting until you are already gone.
What happens to emails I receive while my away message is on?
Your emails still arrive in your inbox normally. The away message is just a reply that goes back to the sender — it does not affect how your incoming mail is organized or stored. When you return, all the emails you received while away will be waiting for you.