<h1 class="scribe-title">How-To: Set an Out of Office Message in Outlook</h1><p class="scribe-author"><b><a href<iframe src="https://scribehow.com/sharedembed/How-To_Set_an_Out_of_Office_Message_in_Outlook__P1lIU-6RTPCAkugaZNWh8A" target="_blank">Made by Michael Wolfe with Scribe</a><br/></b></p><p class="scribe-description">This guide provides a straightforward method for setting up an Out of Office message in Outlook, ensuring your colleagues are informed of your absence. By following the simple steps outlined, you can customize your auto-replies for both internal and external contacts, detailing your availability and alternative contacts for urgent matters. This not only enhances communication but also helps maintain professionalism while you’re away. Viewing this guide will enable you to efficiently manage expectations during your time off.</p><br/><br/><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text scribe-step-tip">Tip: It's important to let your colleagues know that you're going to be out of the office. Setting up an "out of office" message in Outlook is easy to do. Here's how.</p>
</div><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text">1. In the Outlook desktop app, click the <strong>File</strong> tab.</p>
</div><p class="scribe-screenshot-container"><img class="scribe-screenshot" width="560" alt="" src="https://ajeuwbhvhr.cloudimg.io/colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-01-30/0c5badec-9883-4a0d-b52e-95bc849d141e/user_cropped_screenshot.jpeg?tl_px=0,0&br_px=621,296&force_format=jpeg&q=100&width=691&wat_scale=61&wat=1&wat_opacity=1&wat_gravity=northwest&wat_url=https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/images/watermarks/FB923C_standard.png&wat_pad=56,30"/></p><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text">2. Click the <strong>Automatic Replies</strong> button...</p>
</div><p class="scribe-screenshot-container"><img class="scribe-screenshot" width="560" alt="" src="https://ajeuwbhvhr.cloudimg.io/colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-01-30/369390a5-54c1-4f1a-98c3-74338229d1dc/user_cropped_screenshot.jpeg?tl_px=0,0&br_px=772,447&force_format=jpeg&q=100&width=801&wat_scale=71&wat=1&wat_opacity=1&wat_gravity=northwest&wat_url=https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/images/watermarks/FB923C_standard.png&wat_pad=222,372"/></p><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text">3. And then on the <strong>Automatic Replies</strong> pop-up window, click the <strong>Send automatic replies</strong> radio button.</p>
</div><p class="scribe-screenshot-container"><img class="scribe-screenshot" width="560" alt="" src="https://ajeuwbhvhr.cloudimg.io/colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-02-05/76ae780b-e212-4088-85d1-5dda98767d75/user_cropped_screenshot.jpeg?tl_px=0,0&br_px=573,320&force_format=jpeg&q=100&width=573&wat_scale=51&wat=1&wat_opacity=1&wat_gravity=northwest&wat_url=https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/images/watermarks/FB923C_standard.png&wat_pad=104,86"/></p><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text">4. Check the <strong>Only send during this time range:</strong> checkbox.</p>
</div><p class="scribe-screenshot-container"><img class="scribe-screenshot" width="560" alt="" src="https://ajeuwbhvhr.cloudimg.io/colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-02-05/f55332c3-c933-45ec-977d-d76ddb9bd2ce/user_cropped_screenshot.jpeg?tl_px=0,0&br_px=573,320&force_format=jpeg&q=100&width=573&wat_scale=51&wat=1&wat_opacity=1&wat_gravity=northwest&wat_url=https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/images/watermarks/FB923C_standard.png&wat_pad=142,99"/></p><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text">5. Click the <strong>Date Picker drop-down</strong>...</p>
</div><p class="scribe-screenshot-container"><img class="scribe-screenshot" width="560" alt="" src="https://ajeuwbhvhr.cloudimg.io/colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-01-29/336629ed-549a-4162-a93c-2c56519cfcd1/user_cropped_screenshot.jpeg?tl_px=130,47&br_px=756,397&force_format=jpeg&q=100&width=625&wat_scale=55&wat=1&wat_opacity=1&wat_gravity=northwest&wat_url=https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/images/watermarks/FB923C_standard.png&wat_pad=267,117"/></p><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text">6. ...and then choose the <strong>date(s)</strong> you're going to be out of the office.</p>
</div><p class="scribe-screenshot-container"><img class="scribe-screenshot" width="560" alt="" src="https://ajeuwbhvhr.cloudimg.io/colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-01-29/f04acfa0-3320-4791-9e52-c925c9f517f0/user_cropped_screenshot.jpeg?tl_px=0,130&br_px=764,557&force_format=jpeg&q=100&width=764&wat_scale=68&wat=1&wat_opacity=1&wat_gravity=northwest&wat_url=https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/images/watermarks/FB923C_standard.png&wat_pad=266,188"/></p><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text">7. Make sure to adjust the time to your shift--in this case it's nine to five.</p>
</div><p class="scribe-screenshot-container"><img class="scribe-screenshot" width="560" alt="" src="https://ajeuwbhvhr.cloudimg.io/colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-01-29/94be52c4-fb3d-4a87-b82f-1250e215f707/user_cropped_screenshot.jpeg?tl_px=223,83&br_px=817,415&force_format=jpeg&q=100&width=594&wat_scale=53&wat=1&wat_opacity=1&wat_gravity=northwest&wat_url=https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/images/watermarks/FB923C_standard.png&wat_pad=375,141"/></p><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text">8. Create (or in this case update) your Out Of Office message for people inside our organization. Make sure to tell people the exact dates you'll be out, and how to contact your supervisor and colleagues if it's an urgent matter.</p>
</div><p class="scribe-screenshot-container"><img class="scribe-screenshot" width="560" alt="" src="https://ajeuwbhvhr.cloudimg.io/colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-01-29/801bec43-7513-47ad-8300-fac9baea07c4/user_cropped_screenshot.jpeg?tl_px=177,70&br_px=824,432&force_format=jpeg&q=100&width=647&wat_scale=57&wat=1&wat_opacity=1&wat_gravity=northwest&wat_url=https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/images/watermarks/FB923C_standard.png&wat_pad=336,265"/></p><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text">9. If you want people outside the organization to know you're out, click the <strong>Outside My Organization</strong> tab...</p>
</div><p class="scribe-screenshot-container"><img class="scribe-screenshot" width="560" alt="" src="https://ajeuwbhvhr.cloudimg.io/colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-01-29/a44d1dbb-31db-4523-ae83-dc8c6b280fe4/user_cropped_screenshot.jpeg?tl_px=202,49&br_px=790,378&force_format=jpeg&q=100&width=587&wat_scale=52&wat=1&wat_opacity=1&wat_gravity=northwest&wat_url=https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/images/watermarks/FB923C_standard.png&wat_pad=283,186"/></p><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text">10. And then check the <strong>Auto-reply to people outside my organization</strong> checkbox.</p>
</div><p class="scribe-screenshot-container"><img class="scribe-screenshot" width="560" alt="" src="https://ajeuwbhvhr.cloudimg.io/colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-01-29/6917599e-d34e-4ec2-94a8-daa8b5de42cc/user_cropped_screenshot.jpeg?tl_px=185,68&br_px=772,396&force_format=jpeg&q=100&width=587&wat_scale=52&wat=1&wat_opacity=1&wat_gravity=northwest&wat_url=https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/images/watermarks/FB923C_standard.png&wat_pad=34,205"/></p><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text">11. When you're done, click <strong>OK</strong>.</p>
</div><p class="scribe-screenshot-container"><img class="scribe-screenshot" width="560" alt="" src="https://ajeuwbhvhr.cloudimg.io/colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-01-29/c4bd5c1d-9b57-414f-a410-9e48a79cc75d/user_cropped_screenshot.jpeg?tl_px=192,313&br_px=834,672&force_format=jpeg&q=100&width=642&wat_scale=57&wat=1&wat_opacity=1&wat_gravity=northwest&wat_url=https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/images/watermarks/FB923C_standard.png&wat_pad=395,240"/></p><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text">12. Click the <strong>Back arrow</strong> in the upper left hand corner...</p>
</div><p class="scribe-screenshot-container"><img class="scribe-screenshot" width="560" alt="" src="https://ajeuwbhvhr.cloudimg.io/colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-01-29/876bc384-3478-473d-b04b-586dd3fe32f2/user_cropped_screenshot.jpeg?tl_px=0,0&br_px=573,320&force_format=jpeg&q=100&width=573&wat_scale=51&wat=1&wat_opacity=1&wat_gravity=northwest&wat_url=https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/images/watermarks/FB923C_standard.png&wat_pad=7,35"/></p><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text">13. And you're ready to enjoy your time off!</p>
</div><p class="scribe-screenshot-container"><img class="scribe-screenshot" width="560" alt="" src="https://ajeuwbhvhr.cloudimg.io/colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-01-29/d2eb4950-696c-4126-b5e8-b194b0a3667e/user_cropped_screenshot.jpeg?tl_px=0,0&br_px=1146,640&force_format=jpeg&q=100&width=1120.0"/></p><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text scribe-step-tip">Tip: Whether you use the Outlook app or the web version of Outlook, it is not necessary to disable your Out of Office message once you're back in the office. Outlook disables the message automatically once the selected dates are over.</p>
</div><div class="scribe-step"><p class="scribe-step-text scribe-step-tip">Tip: Got questions? Reach out to us at <a href="mailto:techtraining@innovatingjustice.org">techtraining@innovatingjustice.org</a> or on Slack at #ask-tech-training.</p>
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