Out of Office Message: 16 Examples + How to Set It Up in Outlook and Gmail (2026)

Going on holiday, taking a day off or closing the office for Christmas? You don't want people waiting days for a reply without knowing why. An out of office message (also called an automatic reply or vacation responder) fixes that: anyone who emails you immediately learns that you're away, until when, and who they can contact instead.

In this article you'll find 16 example messages to copy, what every message should include, and how to set it up in Outlook and Gmail.

What to include in an out of office message

A good out of office message is short and answers four questions:

1. Are you away? Say it in the first sentence.
2. Until when? Give the date you'll reply. "After the holidays" is too vague.
3. What happens to the email? Will you read it later, or is it not forwarded?
4. Who can help instead? A colleague, a general email address or a phone number for urgent matters.

What to leave out:

• Too much detail. Nobody needs to know you're "in Thailand for two weeks", and it tells strangers your house is empty.
• Promises you can't keep. Don't write "I'll reply as soon as I'm back" when 300 emails are waiting.
• Confidential information. Your reply also goes to strangers and spammers. No internal phone numbers or project names.

16 out of office message examples

Copy the text and replace whatever is in [brackets].

1. Short and professional

✉️ Email example

Thank you for your message. I am out of the office until [date] with limited access to email. I will reply as soon as possible from [date]. For urgent matters, please contact [colleague's name] at [email address].

2. Formal

✉️ Email example

Dear sender,

Thank you for your email. I am out of the office from [date] to [date]. Your message will not be forwarded. For urgent matters, please contact [name] at [email address] or [phone number].

Kind regards, [Name]

3. Holiday, casual

✉️ Email example

Hi! I'm on holiday and back at work on [date]. I'll read your email then. Can't wait? Email [colleague's name] at [email address]. Speak soon!

4. Holiday with a stand-in

✉️ Email example

Thanks for your email. I'm on holiday until [date]. During that time, [colleague's name] is covering my work and can be reached at [email address] or [phone number]. I'll read your message when I'm back.

5. One day off

✉️ Email example

I'm out of the office today. I'll reply to your message tomorrow, [date]. For urgent questions, please contact [name] at [email address].

6. Christmas and New Year

✉️ Email example

Thank you for your message. Our office is closed for the holidays from [date] to [date]. We'll be back on [date] and will answer all messages in the order they arrived. We wish you happy holidays and a great start to the new year!

7. Public holiday

✉️ Email example

We're closed today for [holiday]. We'll be available again tomorrow, [date], and will get back to you then.

8. Outside business hours (customer service)

✉️ Email example

Thanks for your message! Our customer service team is available Monday to Friday from [time] to [time]. We've received your email and will reply on the next working day. You'll also find many answers in our help center.

9. Online store: busy period around Black Friday or the holidays

✉️ Email example

Thanks for your message! Because of the high volume around [sale], our response time is longer than usual: we reply within [number] working days. Question about your order? Track your parcel with your order number at [link]. Returns can be started at [link].

10. Sick leave

✉️ Email example

Thank you for your message. I'm currently off sick and don't know yet when I'll be back. Your email will not be forwarded. For urgent matters, please contact [name] at [email address].

11. Maternity or parental leave

✉️ Email example

Thank you for your email. I'm on leave until [date] and won't be reading email during that time. Please contact [colleague's name] at [email address], who is taking over my work.

12. At a trade show, training or conference

✉️ Email example

I'm at [event] until [date] and have limited time for email. I'll reply by [date] at the latest. Are you at [event] too? Come and say hi at booth [number].

13. No longer with the company

✉️ Email example

Thank you for your message. I no longer work at [company]. Your email will not be forwarded. For questions, please contact [name] at [email address] or our general address [email address].

14. Bilingual

✉️ Email example

Thank you for your message. I am out of the office until [date]. For urgent matters, please contact [name] at [email address].

Bedankt voor je bericht. Ik ben afwezig tot en met [datum]. Voor dringende zaken kun je terecht bij [naam] via [e-mailadres].

15. With a touch of humor (only if it fits your brand)

✉️ Email example

I'm offline for a bit, recharging my batteries. From [date] I'll be fully charged and answering email again. Urgent? [Name] is online: [email address].

16. Shared mailbox or team

✉️ Email example

Thanks for contacting [team]. We're working with a smaller team until [date]. Your email has been received and we'll reply within [number] working days. If it's about an order, please include your order number so we can help you faster.

Looking for WhatsApp messages instead of email? See WhatsApp auto reply: 15+ examples.

How to set up an out of office message in Outlook

New Outlook and Outlook on the web

1. Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top right.
2. Go to Account > Automatic replies.
3. Turn on Automatic replies.
4. Check Send replies only during a time period and choose your start and end date. The reply then turns itself off, so you can't forget.
5. Write your message. You can set a separate message for people outside your organization.
6. Click Save.

Classic Outlook (Windows)

1. Click File > Automatic Replies.
2. Select Send automatic replies and optionally set a time range.
3. Write a message on the Inside My Organization tab and on Outside My Organization.
4. Click OK.

Don't see Automatic Replies? You're probably using an IMAP or POP account rather than Microsoft 365 or Exchange. In that case, use a rule with a template, or set the reply up with your email provider.

Outlook on your phone

Tap your profile picture > the gear icon > your account > Automatic replies.

How to set up an out of office message in Gmail

1. Click the gear icon in the top right and choose See all settings.
2. Stay on the General tab and scroll to Vacation responder.
3. Turn it on and choose the first day and (optionally) the last day.
4. Enter a subject and your message.
5. Only want to reply to your contacts? Check that option.
6. Click Save Changes at the bottom.

Gmail doesn't reply to the same person on every email, only once every few days at most. That way nobody receives a string of automatic replies.

6 tips for a better out of office message

1. Set an end date. A reply that's still on after your holiday looks sloppy.
2. Give the date you'll reply, not just the date you're back. Your first day is usually packed. "I'll reply by [date]" is more honest.
3. Offer one clear alternative. One name and one email address works better than a list of five colleagues.
4. Check with your colleague first. Don't name anyone as your stand-in without telling them.
5. Test it. Email yourself from another address and see what comes back.
6. Match the tone to your readers. A law firm writes differently from a sneaker store.

Out of office for customer service: why one personal reply isn't enough

An out of office message works fine for a personal email address. But if customers email you directly about an order, their question just sits there until you're back. The reply only tells them to wait.

That's why many teams use one shared address, such as info@ or support@, instead of personal mailboxes. When someone's away, a colleague picks up the email. Learn how to add such an address in Outlook in how to add a shared mailbox in Outlook.

A shared inbox like Bugalou takes it a step further:

• Every channel in one place. Email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger and your website chat arrive in one inbox. Whoever is working sees everything.
• Assign to whoever is in. Assign conversations to a colleague, so nothing is left waiting while you're on holiday.
• One away message for every channel. Set your business hours and write one away message. When a customer contacts you outside business hours by email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger or your website chat, they get that message back automatically, on the same channel. At most once every 4 hours per conversation, so nobody receives a string of automatic replies.
• An AI agent outside business hours. With Bugalou Pro, an AI agent answers common questions, for example about delivery times, returns and order status, in the evening and at weekends too. Read more in the customer service chatbot guide.

Getting ready for a busy period? Also read the Black Friday customer service checklist.

Finish your out of office message with a clean signature that includes your name and a colleague or phone number for urgent questions. You can create one in a minute with our free email signature generator.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between an out of office message and an automatic reply?

In practice, nothing: they're two names for the same thing. Outlook calls it "automatic replies", Gmail calls it a "vacation responder".

Will someone get my out of office reply on every email?

No. Outlook (Microsoft 365) replies to each sender once while the reply is on. Gmail replies to the same person once every few days at most.

Should I write my out of office message in two languages?

Only if you have many international contacts. A bilingual message (example 14) works well then. In Outlook you can also set a separate message for people outside your organization.

Is an out of office message required?

No, but it's good practice. Without one, people don't know why you're not replying and may send the same email three times.

Can I schedule an out of office message?

Yes. Both Outlook and Gmail let you set a start and end date. The reply then switches on and off automatically.

Does an out of office message work for WhatsApp?

Not through your email. In WhatsApp Business you set up a separate away message. You'll find examples in WhatsApp auto reply: 15+ examples.

Want to make sure nothing is left waiting when someone's away? Try Bugalou free for 14 days and bring email, WhatsApp, Instagram and your website chat together in one shared inbox.

This article was last updated in October 2026. Menus in Outlook and Gmail may have changed slightly since.