How to set up automatic replies in Outlook

The Out of Office Assistant feature in Microsoft Outlook allows you to set automatic responses for those who send emails while you're away or out of the office. This feature is only available for users with a Microsoft Exchange account; however, users on Home accounts who don’t use Exchange can still create an out-of-office message template and set rules for automatic replies. If you're unsure about the type of account you have, understand that Exchange accounts are typically used in most businesses or schools. Today, Mytour will guide you on how to set up an out-of-office reply on Outlook, both for Exchange accounts and other types.

Launch Microsoft Outlook on your personal computer. This application is usually found in the Start Menu.

Click on Info (Information) in the File (File) tab. This option is located in the ribbon at the top of the inbox, next to other options such as Home, Send/Receive, Folder, View, and Groups.

Click on Automatic Replies (Out of Office) (Automatic Replies). The Automatic Replies dialog box will appear.

• If this option is unavailable, it is likely that your account is not an Exchange type. Follow the method in this article to enable automatic replies for non-Exchange accounts.

Check the box next to the “Send Automatic Replies” option. When you click the box, a checkmark will appear indicating the option is enabled.

• If you'd like to set a specific time frame, check the box next to the option “Only send during this time range” and then select the start and end times. For example, if you plan to travel for two weeks, you can choose the period during which you will be away, so that the response is active only during that time.

Click on the Inside my organization (Inside my organization) tab. This option is located above the large empty text box.

Enter the automatic response you wish to send to colleagues within your office or company who email you. Only addresses with the same domain (e.g., @Mytour.com) will receive the message you input here.

Click on the Outside my organization (Outside my organization) tab. This option is located above the large empty text box.

Enter the automatic reply message you would like to send to people outside your organization who email you. For example, you can provide a message explaining that you are away and redirect inquiries to another contact in your office. Only emails sent from addresses with a different domain will receive this message.

• A dropdown menu will be available for you to choose the font and size, along with formatting options for your message text.

Click on OK. Individuals who email you during your absence will receive the automated response you've set up. If you don’t select a time frame, the auto-reply will be sent until you disable this feature.

Launch Microsoft Outlook on your personal computer. This application is typically found in the Start Menu.

Click on the Out of Office Assistant under the Tools tab. The Tools tab is located in the top-left menu bar of the program window. The Out of Office Assistant dialog will appear.

• If this option is unavailable, your account might not be of the Exchange type. Follow the method in this article to enable auto-replies for non-Exchange accounts.

Click the circle next to the “Send Out of Office auto-replies” option.

• If you want to set a specific time range, check the “Only send during this time range” box, then select the start and end times. For instance, if you're planning a two-week trip, you can choose your vacation period so that the reply will only be active during that time.

Click on the Inside my organization tab. This option is located above the large, empty text box.

Enter the auto-reply message you want to send to colleagues within your office or company who email you. Only addresses with the same domain (e.g., @Mytour.com) will receive the message you input here. For example, you can explain that you're on leave and that a manager will handle tasks on your behalf during your absence.

Click on the Outside my organization tab. This option is located above the large, empty text box.

Enter the automatic reply message that you would like to send to individuals outside your organization who email you. For example, you might type a message explaining that you are on vacation and redirect any inquiries to another contact in the office. This message will only be visible to emails sent from addresses with a domain different from your own.

• A drop-down menu will be available for you to select the font and size, as well as buttons for text formatting functions.

Click on OK. Individuals who send emails to you while you’re away will receive the pre-set automatic reply message. If you don’t select a time range, the message will be sent indefinitely until you disable this feature.

Launch Microsoft Outlook on your computer. This application is typically found in the Start Menu.

Click on Out of Office Assistant in the Tools. The Tools tab is located at the top-left corner of the program window. The Out of Office Assistant dialog will open.

• If this option is unavailable, your account may not be of the Exchange type. Follow the steps in this article to enable the automatic reply feature for non-Exchange accounts.

Click to select the circle next to the message 'I am currently Out of the Office' (Tôi hiện đang vắng mặt).

Enter your message in the text box. Individuals who send emails during your absence will receive this reply once, until you return to the office.

Click on OK. Any organization that sends you an email will receive an out-of-office reply, either indefinitely or until you select 'I am currently in the office' (Tôi đã trở lại văn phòng).

Launch Microsoft Outlook on your personal computer. This application is typically found in the Start Menu.

Click on the New Email button (New Email) within the Home tab. This tab is located in the ribbon above the inbox, next to the File, Send/Receive, Folder, View, and Groups tabs. A blank email will appear.

Edit your out-of-office email template. First, leave the To… and CC… fields empty.

• Enter a subject line, such as 'Out of Office', to notify people that they are receiving an automatic response from you.
• Write the message you would like to send automatically to those who email you in the body of the email. This message will serve as your 'out-of-office' template.

Click on the File tab and click on Save As. The 'Save As' dialog box will appear.

Click on Outlook Template (Outlook Template) in the 'Save as type' dropdown menu.

Enter a name for your template, then click Save. This template can now be used whenever you are out of the office via your personal Outlook email account.

Click on the File tab and select Manage Rules and Alerts (Manage Rules and Alerts). To have an automatic template sent to others when you're away, you need to create a rule so Outlook knows and replies with this template automatically.

Click on the New Rule button. This option is located under the Email Rules tab. The Rule Wizard will open and guide you through creating your rule.

Click on the option labeled “Apply rules on messages I receive”. This option is listed under the heading “Start from a blank rule”.

• Click Next twice to proceed with creating your rule. You need to click Next on a page with multiple options, but leave the boxes in Step 1 and Step 2 empty to ensure the rule works correctly.

Click the checkbox next to the line “reply using a specific template”. This option is located under the heading “What do you want to do with the message?”.

Click on the link "a specific template” in Step 2. A window will pop up.

Select 'User Templates in File System' from the 'Look In' dropdown menu.

• Double-click on the template you previously created to choose it as your automatic out-of-office reply message.

Click on Next. You will be directed to the final step in the Rules Wizard, where you can name the rule, set up exceptions, and review it.

• Enter a name for the automatic reply rule you just created.

Click on Finish (Done). From now on, anyone who sends you an email will receive an automatic reply based on the template you created.

• Consider adding the specific dates you'll be out of the office, along with alternative contacts, to your out-of-office reply. This information helps individuals know when they can expect to hear back from you and who they should contact in your absence.