An out of office message is the first point of contact for anyone who emails you while you are unavailable. A well-crafted message sets expectations, directs senders to the right person, and maintains your professional reputation. A poorly written one -- or worse, no message at all -- leaves people uncertain about whether their email was received and when they can expect a response.
This article provides ready-to-use templates for every common scenario, along with guidance on what to include, what to avoid, and how to configure automatic replies in Outlook and other email clients.
Table of Contents
Essential Elements of an OOO Message
Every effective out of office message includes these components:
| Element | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Your absence dates | Manages sender expectations about when you will respond |
| Whether you will check email at all | Prevents false expectations of a quick reply |
| Alternative contact person | Provides a path forward for urgent matters |
| Alternative contact's email | Enables the sender to reach the backup person immediately |
| Expected response date | Provides a specific commitment for when the sender will hear back |
What to exclude:
- Detailed personal information about why you are away.
- Your personal phone number or home address.
- Jokes, GIFs, or overly casual language (save these for internal messages to close colleagues).
- Any information that could signal to bad actors that your desk is unattended for an extended period.
Vacation and Personal Leave
Standard Vacation (External)
Extended Vacation (External)
Vacation (Internal)
Medical Leave
Medical Leave (External)
Keep medical leave messages brief and professional. There is no need to disclose the nature of the medical situation. The message above provides all necessary information without oversharing.
Conference and Business Travel
Conference Attendance
Conference messages serve a dual purpose: they manage expectations for email response times and can double as networking invitations. Including your conference presence (optional) invites fellow attendees to schedule a meeting.
Parental Leave
Parental Leave (External)
Parental leave messages should note the extended absence clearly and provide comprehensive coverage information. Since parental leave typically spans several weeks or months, ensure that backup contacts are briefed on their responsibilities and have access to necessary files and systems before your leave begins.
Short Absence and Appointments
Half-Day or Single-Day Absence
Short-absence messages can be simpler since the disruption is minimal. However, even a single day without a reply can frustrate someone with an urgent deadline. Always include a backup contact for time-sensitive matters.
Holiday Season
Year-End Holiday Closure
Holiday messages often reference the organization's closure dates rather than individual absence. Coordinate with your team to ensure coverage contacts are consistent across all team members' auto-replies.
How to Set Up Auto-Replies
Outlook Desktop (Windows)
- Open Outlook and click File.
- Click Automatic Replies (Out of Office).
- Select Send automatic replies.
- Optionally check Only send during this time range and set start/end dates and times.
- Compose your message in the Inside My Organization tab.
- Compose a separate message (or copy the same one) in the Outside My Organization tab.
- Click OK.
Outlook on the Web
- Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right corner.
- Navigate to Mail > Automatic replies.
- Toggle Turn on automatic replies.
- Set the date range and compose your message.
- Optionally check Send replies only to contacts to limit external auto-replies.
- Click Save.
Microsoft 365 Shared Mailbox Auto-Replies
For shared mailboxes, use PowerShell:
Set-MailboxAutoReplyConfiguration -Identity shared@company.com `
-AutoReplyState Enabled `
-ExternalMessage "Thank you for your email. Our team will respond within one business day." `
-InternalMessage "The shared mailbox is currently monitored by [team members]. For urgent matters, call [phone number]."Internal vs. External Messages
Outlook allows you to set different messages for internal and external senders. Use this feature strategically:
Internal Messages Can Include
- More detailed coverage information (which colleague handles which specific task).
- Links to shared documents or project boards.
- Internal phone numbers or Teams channel references.
- A more casual tone appropriate to your workplace culture.
External Messages Should
- Remain professional and concise.
- Provide a single point of contact for urgent matters.
- Avoid internal jargon, project code names, or organizational details.
- Exclude information that could reveal your absence duration to potential bad actors (consider using "I will respond as soon as possible" instead of a specific return date for external messages).
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I include my return date in the out of office message?
For internal messages, yes -- it helps colleagues plan their work. For external messages, consider your security posture. Including a specific return date tells anyone who emails you exactly when you will not be monitoring your inbox. Many organizations prefer external messages that say "I will respond as soon as possible upon my return" without specifying the exact date.
Can I set up out of office replies from my phone?
The Outlook mobile app does not support automatic reply configuration. You must use Outlook on the web, Outlook desktop, or PowerShell to set up or modify automatic replies. However, you can turn existing automatic replies on or off from the Outlook mobile app settings on some versions.
Do automatic replies go to everyone who emails me, including mailing lists?
By default, Outlook sends automatic replies only once per external sender during the auto-reply period. This prevents reply loops when both you and the sender have automatic replies enabled. For internal senders, Outlook sends one automatic reply per message by default. You can change this behavior in the Outlook client settings.
How do I set up out of office for a shared mailbox?
Shared mailboxes support automatic replies through PowerShell or by adding the shared mailbox to your Outlook profile and setting automatic replies from there. The PowerShell method (shown above) is the most reliable. Ensure you have the necessary permissions on the shared mailbox before attempting to configure auto-replies.
What happens if I forget to turn off my out of office reply?
If you set a date range in the automatic replies settings, Outlook will disable them automatically at the specified end time. If you did not set an end date, the auto-reply will continue indefinitely until you manually disable it. Always use the date range option to prevent this oversight.
