How to Set Up Your Out-of-Office Message

A practical walkthrough for Microsoft 365 (classic Outlook, new Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Outlook mobile) and Google Workspace (Gmail on the web and Gmail mobile).

Updated August 2026 · For KatyCare clients using Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace

Whether you call it an out of office message, vacation message, away message, automatic reply, or auto reply, the purpose is the same: let people know you are unavailable and direct urgent requests to someone who can help while you are away.

Before you leave for vacation, a conference, a long weekend, or another extended absence, turn on an automatic reply. It tells colleagues and clients when you will be back, whether you will be checking email, and who can help in the meantime.

This guide covers Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, the two email platforms used by most KatyCare clients. These automatic replies are handled by the mail service itself, so once they are configured, they continue working even if your computer is turned off.

What an out of office message does

An out of office message, called Automatic replies in Microsoft 365 and Vacation responder in Gmail, automatically responds to people who email you while you are away.

• Both platforms let you specify when the automatic reply should be active, so you do not have to remember to turn it off when you return.
• Microsoft 365 lets work accounts create separate messages for people inside and outside the organization.
• Gmail uses one Vacation responder message and lets you control who receives it. Depending on your Google Workspace account and settings, you may see options to limit replies to contacts or to people in your organization.

Set it before you go. Configure the automatic reply before leaving, or schedule it to begin when your absence starts. Whenever possible, set an end date so the reply automatically stops when you return.

Microsoft 365

If your work email is hosted on Microsoft 365 or Exchange, use Automatic Replies. The setting is stored with your mailbox, so you can configure it from supported versions of Outlook and the reply continues working even when Outlook or your computer is closed.

Option A: classic Outlook for Windows

If Outlook has a File tab and an Info or Account Information page, you are using classic Outlook. Follow these steps:

1. Select File > Automatic Replies. The button may also be labeled Automatic Replies (Out of Office).
2. Select Send automatic replies.
3. We recommend selecting Only send during this time range and setting the start and end dates and times.
4. For a work or school account, use the Inside My Organization tab to write the message your colleagues will receive.
5. Use the Outside My Organization tab if clients, vendors, or other external senders should also receive a reply.
6. If you enable external replies, consider selecting My contacts only unless there is a business reason to reply to everyone outside your organization.
7. Select OK to save the settings.

No Automatic Replies button? Outlook’s built-in Automatic Replies feature requires a supported Microsoft 365, Exchange, or similar server-based mailbox. Gmail, Yahoo, POP, and IMAP accounts configured inside Outlook do not use the same Outlook Automatic Replies feature. If you are unsure how your account is configured, contact Katy Computer Systems and we can identify the account type.

Option B: Outlook on the web

This is often the easiest method when you are away from your usual computer. The setting is stored with your Microsoft 365 mailbox.

1. Go to outlook.office.com and sign in with your work account.
2. Select the Settings gear in the upper-right corner.
3. Open Account > Automatic replies. Depending on the Outlook layout used by your organization, you may instead see View all Outlook settings followed by an Automatic Replies setting.
4. Turn Automatic replies on.
5. Select Send replies only during a time period and enter the start and end date and time. If you do not specify an end time, you will need to turn Automatic Replies off manually.
6. Enter the automatic-reply message.
7. If you want clients, vendors, and other external senders to receive a reply, enable replies outside your organization.
8. If available, consider limiting external replies to people in your Contacts. Sending an automatic reply to everyone outside the organization can also send replies to newsletters, advertisements, and potentially unwanted mail.
9. Review any optional calendar actions displayed by Outlook. Depending on your account, Outlook may offer to block the period on your calendar, decline new invitations, or decline and cancel existing meetings.
10. Select Save.

Turning it off. If you scheduled an end date and time, Automatic Replies stop automatically. To end the reply early, return to the Automatic Replies settings and switch the feature off.

Option C: new Outlook for Windows

New Outlook looks similar to Outlook on the web. If you do not see the traditional classic Outlook File > Info interface, these instructions may apply.

1. On the View tab, select View settings. You can also open Settings using the gear icon.
2. Go to Accounts > Automatic Replies.
3. If you have more than one account, make sure you are configuring the correct work account.
4. Turn Automatic replies on.
5. Select Send replies only during a time period if you want Outlook to turn the feature off automatically, then set the start and end times.
6. For eligible work accounts, configure the message for your organization and enable replies outside your organization if appropriate.
7. Consider limiting external automatic replies to your Contacts unless there is a reason to reply to every external sender.
8. Select Save.

Option D: Outlook for Android or iOS

The Outlook mobile app can configure out of office replies for supported Microsoft 365, Exchange, Exchange Hybrid, and Outlook.com accounts.

1. Open the Outlook app.
2. Open Settings.
3. Select the Microsoft 365 or Exchange account you want to configure.
4. Select Automatic Replies.
5. Turn Automatic Replies on.
6. Optionally enable Reply during a time period and set the start and end times.
7. Choose whether to reply only to people in your organization or to additional senders, as appropriate for your account.
8. If available, enter separate messages for people inside and outside your organization.
9. Review any available calendar options, then select Save.

Mobile note. The exact labels and screen layout can change as Microsoft updates the Outlook app. If you cannot find Automatic Replies, use Outlook on the web or contact Katy Computer Systems.

Google Workspace

Google calls its automatic-reply feature Vacation responder. You can configure it in Gmail on the web or in the Gmail mobile app. Once enabled, the setting applies to mail received by that Gmail account even when your computer is turned off.

Gmail on the web

1. Go to mail.google.com and sign in with your work account.
2. Select the Settings gear in the upper-right corner.
3. Select See all settings.
4. Stay on the General tab and scroll down to the Vacation responder section.
5. Select Vacation responder on.
6. Set the First day.
7. Set a Last day if you want Gmail to turn the Vacation responder off automatically.
8. Enter a Subject and your message.
9. Review the recipient options displayed under the message. You can normally limit the response to people in your Contacts. Google Workspace accounts may also provide an organization-specific restriction depending on the account configuration.
10. Scroll to the bottom of the Settings page and select Save Changes. The setting is not saved until you do this.

Gmail starts the automatic reply at 12:00 a.m. on the first day and ends it at 11:59 p.m. on the last day, unless you turn it off earlier.

In most cases, Gmail sends the Vacation responder only the first time someone emails you. The same person may receive another automatic response if they email you again after four days while the responder is still active, or if you change the Vacation responder message.

Gmail on Android or iOS

The Gmail mobile app can turn the Vacation responder on and off, which is useful if you are already away and forgot to set it before you left.

1. Open the Gmail app.
2. Select the menu icon in the upper-left corner, then scroll down and select Settings.
3. Select the work account you want to configure. If you have more than one account signed in, confirm you have selected the right one.
4. Select Vacation responder. On Android it appears in the General section of the account settings.
5. Turn the Vacation responder on.
6. Set the First day, and set a Last day if you want Gmail to turn it off for you.
7. Enter a Subject and your message.
8. If you only want people already in your address book to receive the reply, enable Send only to my contacts.
9. Select Save or Done.

Turning it off. While the Vacation responder is active, Gmail displays a banner near the top of the inbox on both the web and the mobile app. Select End now to stop it early. You can also return to Settings > See all settings > General > Vacation responder on the web, select Vacation responder off, and save your changes.

Delegated accounts and Google Groups

Google Workspace does not use the Microsoft 365 shared mailbox model, and the difference matters when you need an automatic reply on a general address such as info@ or office@.

• Delegated mailboxes. If someone has granted you delegate access to their Gmail, you can read and send mail on their behalf, but you cannot set their Vacation responder. Only the account owner, or an administrator signing in to that account, can do that.
• Google Groups. If your general address is a Google Group or collaborative inbox rather than a mailbox, there is no Vacation responder. A Google Workspace administrator configures an auto-reply for the group in the Google Admin console or in the Groups settings.

Microsoft 365 shared mailboxes

Many organizations use shared mailboxes such as info@, office@, support@, or accounting@. A shared mailbox has its own Automatic Replies configuration, separate from the automatic reply on your personal mailbox. Turning on your own out of office message does nothing to mail arriving at the shared address.

If a shared mailbox receives customer or vendor inquiries while your office is closed or staff members are away, set an automatic reply for that mailbox too. It can explain adjusted holiday hours or direct urgent requests to another person, email address, or phone number.

You can do this yourself. If you have Full Access permission to the shared mailbox, which is the normal arrangement for anyone who reads and answers its mail, you do not need an administrator.

Outlook on the web (easiest method)

1. Go to outlook.office.com and sign in with your own work account, not the shared address.
2. Select your profile picture or initials in the upper-right corner.
3. Select Open another mailbox.
4. Type the shared mailbox address, select it from the list, and select Open. A new browser tab opens showing only that shared mailbox.
5. In the new tab, select the Settings gear, then Account > Automatic replies. In some layouts this is View all Outlook settings > Mail > Automatic replies.
6. Turn Automatic replies on and set a time period if the closure has a known end date.
7. Enter the message for senders inside the organization.
8. For a customer-facing address such as info@ or support@, enable replies outside your organization and enter that message as well. This is usually the message that matters most on a shared mailbox.
9. Select Save, then close the extra tab.

Do not check “My contacts only” on a shared mailbox. A shared mailbox rarely has its own contact list, so limiting external replies to contacts usually means customers receive nothing at all.

If Open another mailbox does not find the address, or you get a permission error, you probably have Send As rights rather than Full Access. Ask whoever administers your Microsoft 365 tenant to add Full Access, or use the admin center method below.

Classic Outlook for Windows

A shared mailbox that simply appears at the bottom of your folder list will not offer Automatic Replies. Outlook only exposes the setting when the shared mailbox is added as a separate account.

1. Select File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
2. Select your account, then select Change > More Settings > Advanced > Add.
3. Type the shared mailbox address and select OK, then close the dialogs.
4. Restart Outlook, then double-click the shared mailbox in the folder pane so it opens in its own window.
5. In that window, select File > Automatic Replies and configure the reply as you would for your own mailbox.

If this feels like more steps than it should be, it is. Outlook on the web is the faster route.

Microsoft 365 admin center

If you administer Microsoft 365 for your organization, you can set the reply without opening the mailbox at all. This is the practical method when you need to update several shared mailboxes for a holiday closure.

1. Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center with an account that has the required administrative permissions.
2. Go to Teams & groups > Shared mailboxes.
3. Select the shared mailbox.
4. Locate Automatic replies and select Edit.
5. Enable the appropriate automatic replies.
6. Enter the message for senders inside the organization and, if appropriate, the message for senders outside the organization.
7. Save the changes.

What to put in the message

Keep the message short. In most cases, the reader needs four pieces of information: that you are away, when you will return, whether you will be checking email, and who can help in the meantime.

• Return date. Be specific. For example: “I will return on Monday, September 14.”
• Coverage. Name a backup person, team, or shared mailbox and provide the appropriate contact information. Confirm the coverage arrangement before you leave.
• Email availability. Clearly state whether you will be checking email. If you will not be monitoring messages, say so.
• Tone. An internal message can be more informal. External messages should remain professional and avoid unnecessary personal details.
• Privacy and security. Do not include home addresses, detailed travel itineraries, personal phone numbers that should not be public, or statements indicating that a building or office will be unattended.

Sample: internal message for colleagues

I am out of the office from Thursday, September 3 through Friday, September 11, returning Monday, September 14.

I will not be checking email. For anything that cannot wait, please contact Jordan Lee at [email protected].

Thank you,
Alex Rivera

Sample: external message for clients and vendors

Thank you for your email. I am out of the office from September 3-11 and will return on September 14.

I will have limited access to email and will respond after I return. If you need assistance sooner, please contact our team at [email protected] or call (555) 010-0140.

Thank you for your patience,
Alex Rivera
Account Manager

Sample: shared mailbox during an office closure

Thank you for contacting Riverbend Community Services.

Our office is closed from Thursday, September 3 through Friday, September 11 and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, September 14. Messages sent to this address will be answered when we reopen.

If your matter is urgent, please call (555) 010-0140.

Riverbend Community Services

Quick comparison

On a phone or other narrow screen, swipe or scroll horizontally to view the complete comparison table.

Best practices

• Set an end date whenever possible. This prevents an old out of office message from continuing after you return.
• Confirm your backup contact. Make sure the person or team you name is available and knows they may receive additional requests.
• Update your calendar too. An email automatic reply does not replace calendar availability.
• For Microsoft 365, Outlook may offer calendar options directly from the Automatic Replies screen, including blocking the time or declining meetings.
• For Google Workspace, create an Out of office event in Google Calendar in addition to enabling Gmail’s Vacation responder.
• Do not forget the shared mailboxes. If your office is closing rather than one person leaving, set replies on info@, office@, and any other general address as well.
• Do not use the automatic reply as your only coverage plan. Reassign or route urgent work before you leave whenever possible.
• Be precise about email access. Avoid saying you will “check email periodically” unless you actually intend to do so. Otherwise, people may wait for you instead of contacting the backup person.
• Be cautious with external replies. In Microsoft 365, replying to everyone outside the organization may send your automatic response to newsletters, advertisements, and potentially unwanted email. Consider limiting external replies to Contacts when appropriate.
• Test the reply. Send an email from a different account or ask a colleague to verify that the correct automatic reply is received.
• Check it when you return. Even if an end date was configured, confirm that the automatic reply is no longer active.

Common questions

Will every email receive an automatic reply, including newsletters?

Microsoft 365: If Automatic Replies are enabled for everyone outside your organization, Microsoft warns that replies may also be sent to newsletters, advertisements, and potentially junk email. When appropriate, select the option to send external replies only to people in your Contacts.

Gmail: Google says Vacation responder replies are not sent to messages delivered to your Spam folder or to messages addressed to mailing lists to which you subscribe. You can also use the recipient restrictions available on your account.

Does my computer need to stay turned on?

No. Microsoft 365 / Exchange Automatic Replies and the Gmail Vacation responder are handled by the email service rather than by your individual computer. Once the setting is saved, the computer can be shut down.

This is different from certain Outlook rules used as a workaround for POP or IMAP accounts. Some client-side Outlook rules require Outlook to remain running.

Can I set an automatic reply for a Microsoft 365 shared mailbox?

Yes, and in most cases you can do it yourself. A shared mailbox has its own Automatic Replies configuration. If you have Full Access to the mailbox, open it through Open another mailbox in Outlook on the web and configure the reply there. The steps are in the shared mailbox section above. Administrators can also set it from the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Why did my out of office message not go out to a customer?

The most common causes are that external replies were never enabled, that external replies were limited to Contacts and the sender is not in your contact list, or that the scheduled time period had already ended. On a shared mailbox, check that you configured the reply on the shared mailbox itself rather than on your own.

Will Microsoft Teams show that I am out of the office?

Microsoft Teams can display out of office information associated with your Microsoft 365 / Outlook status and calendar. However, an email automatic reply should not be your only method of communicating your availability. Make sure your Outlook calendar and Teams status accurately reflect your absence as appropriate for your organization.

Will Google Chat show that I am out of the office?

For Google Workspace accounts, Google Chat can display out of office information from Google Calendar. Create an Out of office event in Google Calendar in addition to configuring Gmail’s Vacation responder. Whether Calendar status appears in Chat can also depend on your organization’s Google Workspace settings.

What is the difference between an out of office reply and an out of office calendar event?

The email automatic reply responds to people who send you email. The calendar out of office event tells coworkers and scheduling tools that you are unavailable during a particular period.

For the best results, use both when appropriate: configure the email response and update your calendar before you leave.

Need help

If Automatic Replies or Vacation responder is missing entirely, your account may be configured differently than expected, or your organization’s settings may affect which options are available.

If you are not sure whether your email is hosted on Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Exchange, or another system, Katy Computer Systems can identify the account type and determine the appropriate way to configure your out of office message.

We can also assist with:

• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft 365 and Exchange
• Google Workspace and Gmail
• Shared mailbox permissions, including granting Full Access so staff can manage replies themselves
• Google Groups and collaborative inboxes
• Outlook and Gmail mobile-device setup
• Calendar and availability settings

Reach out to Katy Computer Systems and we will help make sure your automatic reply is configured correctly before you leave.