If you use Outlook for emails, there are bound to be times when you are out of the office for a few days. You may need to inform your contacts about your unavailability during these days. Sending an email to every single can become very tedious. Luckily, we will show you how to create an Outlook out of office message.
Out-of-office replies are automated responses to emails that you can use to inform your contacts when you’re unavailable. Outlook provides this feature to its users with its automatic replies feature. You can also share your calendar to let others know your plans.
This article will explain how to set out of office in Outlook desktop or web client. Read on and follow the easy steps to get it done.
This Article Covers:
How to Set up an Outlook Out of Office Automatic Reply
Here are the steps to set up the Outlook out-of-office message on the Windows desktop client. These steps should work for most Outlook versions, including 2021.
Step 1: On the main screen of Outlook, click on File in the top left corner. This will take you to the Account Information screen.
Step 2:Â Here, click on Automatic Replies. This will open a new window that allows you to set up your Outlook away message.
Step 3: If you’re setting up automatic reply in Outlook for the first time, you may see the Do not send automatic replies selected by default. To turn on automatic replies, simply click on Send automatic replies.
Optional: If you wish to set up automatic replies to only send within a fixed time frame, check the Only send during this time range option and select the Start Time and the End time. You won’t have to turn off the automatic replies manually.
Step 4:Â Type in your away message. You can change the font, its size, and its typographical emphasis. Once you’re done writing your message, click OKÂ to save it.
How to Stop the Out-of-Office Reply
To turn off automatic replies, click on File and then click Turn off under the Automatic Replies section in the menu.
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How to How to Show Out of Office in Outlook 365
Here are the steps you need to follow to set up automatic replies in Outlook 365:
Step 1:Â Click on the Gear icon on the top-right side of the screen. This will open a sidebar on the right side of the screen.
Step 2: There are two ways to access the advanced settings in your Outlook web client. In the first method, you can simply use the search bar to search for “Automatic Replies.” Click on the displayed link will take you to the Automatic replies section on your Outlook settings. Alternately, click on View all Outlook settings to display the settings window.
Step 3: In the settings window, click on Mail and Automatic replies. Here, click on Turn on automatic replies.
Optional: To set up automatic replies to only be sent within a fixed time frame, check the Send replies only during a period option and set the Start Time and the End time. There are other options you can choose from depending on your preferences.
Step 4: Type in your message. You can also use formatting tools to make your message the way you want. Once you’ve finished, simply click on the blue Save button to save your settings.
To turn off the automatic replies, go to Settings, click on Mail, and then on Automatic replies. There, click on the Automatic replies on button to toggle it off. You may also want to set up your Outlook signature to warn clients that you will be out of office soon.
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How to Put Out of Office in Outlook for Mac
The steps of how to set an away message in Outlook remain largely the same for the Mac versions of Outlook. Here’s how to turn on out of office in Outlook for Mac:
- In the Outlook menu, navigate to Tools > Automatic Replies
- Check the Send Automatic Replies Box
- Select the time period you wish to send the out of office reply for
- Type you message
- Click OK
Troubleshoot Automatic Reply Outlook Settings
If you’re unable to see the Outlook automatic replies option after clicking on File, you’re likely using an email service besides Outlook. Yahoo, Gmail, and other POP or IMAP email accounts don’t support the Automatic replies feature in Outlook.
You can set up a rule that replies to incoming messages, but you need to leave Outlook running. So, you’re better off setting the out of office response with whichever client you use instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Set up an Automatic Reply in Outlook for All Incoming Emails??
To set up the out-of-office notification in Outlook, click on File in the top left part of the screen. There, click on Automatic replies. First, click on Send automatic replies to activate the setting. You can also set a start and an end time for your automatic replies. Simply type in your message in the text box below and click on OK to save it.
How Do I Turn Off Out of Office in Outlook 365?
If you know how to set up out of office in Outlook, you just have to follow the same steps: Open Settings > View all Outlook settings > Automatic replies and turn the radio button to off.
Where Is the Out of Office in Outlook 2021?
Setting up Microsoft Outlook out of office is similar in all Outlook desktop versions. However, there are a few visual differences in the UI.
To set up automatic replies in Outlook 2021, click on File and Automatic replies. In the window that shows up. Click on the button to turn on automatic replies. There, type your message and click on OK.
Why Does My Outlook Not Have Automatic Replies?
You can’t set up automatic replies if you’re using a POP or IMAP account such as Gmail.
How Do I Set Up Out of Office on Outlook Laptop?
Depending on the version you’re using, there are different ways to set an automatic reply in Outlook (setting out of office in Outlook).
- For desktop versions, click on File and then on Automatic replies. There you can type your message to be sent.
- For Outlook 365, head to the settings menu and click on Mail. There, click on Automatic replies and turn the option on. There you can type your message. You can also set up a start and an end date.
Can I Set A Recurring Out of Office Message in Outlook?
No, but you can set up the Outlook Calendar to show that you’re out of the office on certain days of the week, then share the calendar with the appropriate parties.
Out of Office Message in Outlook
For many people, replying to an email or two while out of office is easy. However, many people who communicate over emails may get dozens (even hundreds) of emails per day, which can become extremely tedious to manage if you’re on vacation or simply on leave.
For these people, the Outlook out of office automatic replies feature can be highly beneficial as it allows you to set up one message sent to everyone when you’re out of the office. You can also set a start and an end date and time, which can be very beneficial if you plan to be on leave for a specified amount of time.
You may want to consider changing your signature while you’re out of the office too.
We hope this article helped you better understand how to set out of office in Outlook. If you need more productivity hacks, check out some of our other articles.
