How to set up automatic replies in Outlook

Outlook has a “holiday mode» in case you want me to respond to emails that arrive in your absence. to make your life easier, we will tell you how Easily configure your Outlook automatic replies.

Create automatic responses in Windows

1. Sign in to Outlook
2. Then click on the menu File, Archive at the top left of the interface.
3. In the page Account information appears, you’ll find your email account name and Microsoft Exchange just below it.
4. A little further down this page, click the button automatic responses.
5. In the window that appears, select the checkbox Send automatic replies.
6. Then check the box Send only during this period of time. Here you will need to define the number of days/months you want to send your automated out of office message.
7. Use the dropdown menu:
   • Start time to choose the day and time that your automatic response to received messages will take effect.
   • Adjust the date and time automatic replies will stop sending (when you become available again) using the dropdown menu Ending time.
8. Now write in the Automatic responses box the message you want to send to all your contacts who can write to you during your absence.
   • Of course, you can use the formatting tools to customize your response: change the font, size, and alignment of the text, etc.
9. When everything is ready, click OK.

Important note: If you’re not using an official version of the Microsoft Office suite, for example, you won’t be able to manage automatic replies with Outlook software.

Create automatic responses in macOS

If you are using a Mac computer, then you will need to configure the automatic response of your messages received in your Outlook mail in a different way. The reason is because the versions of Outlook differ between Windows and macOS and although the principle of autoresponder remains the same, the menus and options change a bit. Let’s see!

First, verify that you have access to a Microsoft Exchange server. To do this follow these steps:

1. Start Outlookthen display the menu Tools at the top of the screen and choose accounts.
2. In the window that appears where your account appears, click the button Advanced In the bottom right.
3. The server address appears in the new window in the field of the same name. This should be marked as Exchange.

If you don’t have access to the Microsoft Exchange server, you can’t configure your automatic responses. If yes, continue with the following steps.

1. Go back down the menu Tools at the top of the screen and this time choose Automatic responses.
2. In the window that appears, check the box Send automatic responses For the billfollowed by your Outlook, Live, or Hotmail address.
3. Leave the first frame empty, then check the checkbox Send answers only for this period just below.
4. Click the calendar icon in the section start time to choose the day on which the automatic sending of your reply to received messages will take effect.
5. You should also set the time at which the device should start.
6. Repeat with section Ending time to set the date and time automatic replies will stop being sent, which should be when you become available again.
7. Now, check the checkbox Send responses outside my organization.
8. Then choose whether your out-of-office message should be distributed to everyone who emails you or just to people in your address book.
9. Finally, write your away message in the frame at the bottom of the window and confirm with OK.

Create automatic responses from the app (Android/iOS)

To perform these steps you need to have Outlook account created and download the app. Once this is done, we proceed as follows:

1. Open the Outlook app and log in with your usual username and password.
2. Click on the profile picture in the upper left corner.
3. Go settings > select your Outlook account
4. Click on automatic responses and activate it.
5. Write the text you want and also the period of time that it will remain activated, if you do not put it, it will continue sending responses until you deactivate it.
6. Finish by clicking in the lower right corner on «Confirm«.

Tips for writing a perfect autoresponder

Once you have finished set up your automatic replies in Outlookyou may have realized that your emails are not entirely professional, in any case, we leave you some basic guidelines to improve them:

• Be direct: Nobody likes to read 3 long paragraphs with many long sentences. Go to the point and try not to exceed a couple of lines.
• Explain why you are not available: Both at work and personally, it is important to indicate the period of absence so that the sender knows when you will be available again.
• Offer an alternative contact: Whether it is your own personal mobile or someone else’s, if it is something very urgent you will avoid problems when you return from your absence.