Setting an out-of-office reply
Updated 10 November 2026 · How-to
How to turn on automatic replies in Outlook before a holiday, with separate messages for colleagues and outside contacts.
An automatic reply tells people you are away and who to contact instead. You can set it up yourself in a couple of minutes, schedule it to switch on and off by itself, and write a different message for colleagues and for people outside the business.
In Outlook on Windows
Go to File, then Automatic Replies. In the newer Outlook, go to Settings, Accounts and then Automatic replies. Turn on automatic replies, tick the box to send replies only during a time period, and set the start and end dates. Write your message in the Inside My Organization tab, then switch to the Outside tab and write the version for customers and suppliers.
In Outlook on the web or a Mac
On the web, click the settings icon, then Mail and Automatic replies. On a Mac, go to Tools and then Automatic Replies. The options are the same.
On your phone
In the Outlook app, tap your profile picture, the settings icon, your account and then Automatic replies.
What to write
Keep it short. Say when you will be back and who to contact for anything urgent, with their email address. For the outside message, it is better not to say you are on holiday or travelling. "I am out of the office until Monday" is enough. Announcing that you are away is useful information for someone planning a fake invoice or payment request in your name.
If someone is away for a long time or has left
For long absences, we can forward your mail to a colleague or give them access to your mailbox while you are away. Ask your manager to email hello@bitlogix.tech. For someone who has left the business, this is part of the leaver process described in When someone joins or leaves your team.
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