How to Set Out of Office in Outlook - Auto Replies & Calendar Blocking, by Gauging Gadgets on YouTube. 2 min.
- Video length
- 2 min
- Time to do it
- 5 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Sign in to Outlook on the web at outlook.com or open the Outlook desktop app. The web version has the full set of automatic reply options.
In Outlook on the web, click Settings, then Mail, then Automatic replies. In classic Outlook for Windows, click File, then Automatic Replies.
Turn on the automatic replies toggle or select Send automatic replies. Leave the date range off if you want the reply to stay on until you switch it off.
Tick Send replies only during a time period and pick your first and last day plus the times. Outlook uses your current time zone.
Write the message. Say you are away, give the date you return, and name a colleague or inbox to contact for urgent work.
On Microsoft 365 accounts, add a separate message for people outside your organisation if you want a shorter, less detailed reply.
Tick Block my calendar for this period and, if you want, decline new meeting invites during that time. Click Save.
Open Calendar, click New event, make it an all-day event across your leave dates, and set Show as to Out of office so colleagues see it.
Send a test email from another account to confirm the reply arrives, then check your calendar shows the out of office block.
Tips and common mistakes
Outlook sends the automatic reply once to each sender per period, so a person who emails twice only gets it once.
The mobile Outlook app cannot set the full automatic reply, so use the web or desktop version instead.
Keep the message short and avoid personal details such as your home address or phone number.
Check the end date and time, or the reply can keep sending after you are back at work.
Questions
Will Outlook reply to every email while I am away?
It replies once to each sender during the dates you set. It does not send repeated replies to the same person.
Can I set an out of office reply from my phone?
Not fully. Open Outlook on the web in your phone browser and go to Settings, Mail, Automatic replies to set it up.
Does blocking my calendar stop meeting invites?
It marks the time as busy or out of office. Tick the option to decline new invites if you also want Outlook to reject them.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
