How do you put out of office on Outlook? This is a common question among Outlook users who need to temporarily disable their email notifications or auto-reply when they are unavailable. Whether you are going on vacation, attending a conference, or simply need a break from your email, setting up an out of office (OOF) message in Outlook is a straightforward process. In this article, we will guide you through the steps to set up an out of office message on Outlook, ensuring that your emails are managed effectively while you are away.
Outlook offers two primary methods for setting up an out of office message: manually creating a rule and using the automatic out of office feature. The manual method provides more customization options, while the automatic feature is more convenient for users who want a quick and easy solution.
Manual Method: Creating a Rule
1. Open Outlook and click on the “File” tab at the top left corner of the window.
2. Select “Manage Rules & Alerts” from the dropdown menu.
3. In the “Rules & Alerts” window, click on “New Rule” to create a new rule.
4. Choose “Apply rule on messages I receive” and click “Next.”
5. Select “Check if the sender matches specific words or names” and click “Next.”
6. Enter the email addresses or names of the people you want to exclude from the out of office message, then click “Add” and “OK.”
7. Click “Next” and choose “Reply using a specific message” to create an out of office message.
8. Type your custom out of office message in the “Enter the message you want to send” field.
9. Click “Next,” review your settings, and then click “Finish” to save the rule.
Automatic Method: Using the Out of Office Feature
1. Open Outlook and click on the “File” tab.
2. Select “Options” from the dropdown menu.
3. In the “Outlook Options” window, click on “Mail” from the list on the left.
4. Scroll down and click on “Automatic Replies” under “Mail Format.”
5. Check the “Send automatic replies” box and select the date range for when you want the out of office message to be active.
6. Enter your custom out of office message in the “Enter the message you want to send” field.
7. If desired, check the “Include a copy of my messages in the automatic reply” box to send a copy of incoming emails to yourself.
8. Click “OK” to save your settings.
By following these steps, you can easily set up an out of office message on Outlook, ensuring that your email communications are managed effectively while you are away. Whether you choose the manual method or the automatic feature, Outlook provides the tools to keep your email workflow running smoothly even when you are not available.
