How to Set Up Out of Office in Outlook
Turn on automatic replies in Outlook for a vacation or a day off. Steps for new and classic Outlook, plus what to do if your account has no Out of Office.
If your email is a work or Microsoft 365 account, Outlook can send automatic replies while you are away. In new Outlook and Outlook on the web, open Settings, Accounts, Automatic replies, turn it on, and write your message; in classic Outlook it is File, Automatic Replies. Set a start and end time so it switches off on its own.
New Outlook and Outlook on the web
Click the Settings gear, go to Accounts, then Automatic replies, and toggle it on. Write a message, and optionally tick “Send replies only during a time period” with start and end dates so you do not have to remember to turn it off. You can send a different reply to people outside your organization, which keeps internal detail internal.
Classic Outlook (Exchange or Microsoft 365)
In the classic desktop app, choose File, then Automatic Replies (Out of Office). Set the message and the date range the same way. This lives on the mail server, so replies go out even with your PC switched off — which is the whole point of a proper Out of Office.
If you don’t see Automatic Replies
The feature only exists for Exchange and Microsoft 365 mailboxes. A Gmail, Yahoo, or other IMAP account added to Outlook has no Automatic Replies option at all.
| Account | How to auto-reply |
|---|---|
| Exchange / Microsoft 365 | Built-in Automatic Replies |
| Gmail / Yahoo / IMAP | Use that provider’s vacation responder |
| IMAP, via Outlook only | A rule with a reply template, PC left on |
The cleanest option for a personal account is the provider’s own vacation responder, since a rule-based reply needs Outlook and the computer running the whole time. While you are setting up, it is a good moment to schedule any emails that should go out while you are gone, keep replies tidy with a dedicated folder, and remember you can recall a message if one slips out by mistake.
Set an end date when you turn it on, so it stops itself. For a non-work account, skip Outlook’s rules and use your email provider’s vacation setting instead.