How to Set an Out of Office Auto-Reply in Microsoft Outlook (Microsoft 365)

This guide is for small-business employees who use Microsoft Outlook with a Microsoft 365 account. Following these steps will configure an automatic out of office reply that notifies anyone who emails you that you are unavailable, while giving them your return date or an alternate contact.

Set an Auto-Reply in Outlook on the Web (OWA)

1. Go to https://outlook.office.com and sign in with your Microsoft 365 account.
2. Click the gear icon in the top-right corner, then choose View all Outlook settings.
3. Navigate to Mail > Automatic replies.
4. Toggle on Turn on automatic replies.
5. (Optional) Set a Start time and End time to have the reply turn off automatically.
6. Enter your message for internal senders under Inside my organization.
7. (Optional) Check Send replies outside your organization and add a separate message for external senders.
8. Click Save.

Set an Auto-Reply in the Outlook Desktop App (Windows)

1. Open Outlook on your Windows computer.
2. Click File > Automatic Replies (Out of Office).
3. Select Send automatic replies.
4. (Optional) Set a time range for the replies to be active.
5. Enter your auto-reply message for both internal and external senders in the provided fields.
6. Click OK to enable the auto-reply.

Best Practices

• Include your return date and an alternate contact so senders know who to reach.
• Keep your message brief and professional.
• Avoid enabling replies to all external contacts unless it is necessary for your situation.

Need help configuring Outlook or other Microsoft 365 settings for your business? Contact ACS and our team will be happy to assist.

Common questions

Can I schedule my out of office reply to turn on and off automatically?

Yes. Both Outlook on the web and the Outlook desktop app allow you to set an optional start time and end time. Once the end time passes, the automatic reply will turn off on its own.

Should I send auto-replies to external senders as well as internal ones?

That depends on your role and business needs. Microsoft 365 lets you write a separate message for senders outside your organization. As a best practice, only enable external replies when necessary, since it can expose information to unknown senders.

What should I include in my out of office message?

Best practice is to include your expected return date and an alternate contact, such as a colleague or general company email, so senders know how to get help while you are away. Keep the message brief and professional.