Set Up an Automatic Reply (Out of Office) in Outlook and Gmail

An automatic (out of office) reply lets people know you’re away before they even get a response from you. This guide shows how to turn one on in Outlook.com and in Gmail, including how to set a start and end date so it turns off on its own, and a few tips on what to leave out of the message.

Why set one up?

A quick reply while you’re away, that turns itself off when you’re back.

Away from email — Traveling, out sick, or just slow to answer? People get a reply instead of silence.

Runs on its own — Set a start and end date, and it turns itself off when you’re back.

Say who to contact — Point anyone urgent to a coworker, or another number, while you’re away.

How to automatic reply out of office: step by step

Outlook.com

1Outlook.com: Settings → Mail → Automatic replies

Open Settings, then Mail, then Automatic replies. Turn on automatic replies: start and end dates fill in for you.

WHAT TO DOType your message, check Send replies outside your organization if you want, and click Save.

Automatic reply out of office: Outlook.com: Settings → Mail → Automatic replies

Gmail

2Gmail: Settings → General → Vacation responder

Open Settings, then General, and scroll to Vacation responder. Choose Vacation responder on.

WHAT TO DOSet your dates, write a subject and message, and click Save Changes.

Gmail: Settings → General → Vacation responder

A few tips

Keep it short — Who to contact, and roughly when you’ll be back — that’s enough.
Turn it off when you return — Both Outlook and Gmail let you end it early if you’re back sooner than planned.
Don’t overshare — Skip exact travel dates or “nobody’s home” details on a personal account — it can tip off the wrong person.

Recap: set up an automatic reply

Outlook.com: Settings → Mail → Automatic replies → Turn on → Save
Gmail: Settings → General → Vacation responder → On → Save Changes
Set a start and end date, so it turns off on its own
Keep the message short, and skip exact travel details

Printable quick guide

Set Up an Automatic Reply (1-page quick guide PDF)

Frequently asked questions

Does the automatic reply turn off by itself?

Yes, if you set an end date. In Outlook.com and Gmail, the reply stops automatically at the end of the day you chose, so you don’t have to remember to turn it off.

Will everyone who emails me get a reply every time?

No. Both Outlook.com and Gmail generally send it only once to each person while it’s on, not for every message they send you.

Can I send a different message to people outside my company?

In Outlook.com, you can choose to send replies outside your organization with a separate message. Gmail Workspace accounts have a similar option to limit replies to your organization.

What shouldn’t I put in my out-of-office message?

On a personal account, avoid exact travel dates or details that reveal no one’s home. Keep it to when you’ll be back and who to contact instead.

Set an end date so you don’t forget to turn it off. And on a personal account, skip exact travel dates or details like “nobody’s home” — it’s easy information for the wrong person to find.