Set Up an Out of Office Vacation Auto-Reply in Outlook for Any Account
*Setup for exanche account at the bottom
To set up an autoresponder in Outlook, let's first create the message used for the reply:
- ›› Step by Step Screenshot Walkthrough (using Outlook 2003)
- In Outlook 2003:
- Make sure Word is not enabled as the email editor in Outlook.
- Start a new message.
- Type the Subject and message of your auto-reply.
- Try to include when people mailing you in your absence can expect a personal answer. This might be some time after you will have returned.
- Optionally, you can add Cc: and Bcc: recipients to send a copy of each automatic reply.
- If you set up the auto-reply to go to all mail (instead of only to select contacts), keep in mind that revealing too much can pose a risk.
- In Outlook 2010:
- Open the File tab.
- Choose Save As.
- In Outlook 2007:
- Click the Office button.
- Select Save As.
- In Outlook 2003:
- Select File | Save As... from the menu.
- Make sure Outlook Template is selected under Save as type:.
- Optionally, choose a File name: different from the subject.
- Click Save.
Now we can create the autoresponder rule:
- ›› Step by Step Screenshot Walkthrough (using Outlook 2003)
- In Outlook 2010:
- Go to the Home tab.
- Click Rules.
- Select Manage Rules & Alerts... from the menu that comes up.
- In Outlook 2003:
- Select Tools | Rules and Alerts... from the menu in the main Outlook window.
- Click New Rule....
- In Outlook 2010:
- Make sure Apply rule on messages I receive is selected under Start from a blank rule.
- In Outlook 2003:
- Click Start from a blank rule.
- Make sure Check messages when they arrive is selected.
- Click Next >.
- Check Where my name is in the To box under Select condition(s).
- Alternatively, you can leave all boxes unchecked to make the auto-responder reply to all incoming mail.
- Click Next >.
- Check reply using a specific template under Select action(s).
- Click on a specific template under Edit the rule description.
- Select User Templates in File System under Look In:.
- Highlight the template created before.
- Click Open.
- Click Next >.
- Check Except if it is an Out of Office message under Select exception(s).
- Click Next >.
- Type the desired name for your auto-responding filter under Specify a name for this rule.
- Optionally, check Create this rule on all accounts.
- Keep in mind, though, that filters do not work with Hotmail and other HTTP accounts (for which this checkbox will not create them).
- Click Finish.
- Click OK.
Instead of going the manual filter route, you can use a tool like FreeBusy, which also avoids sending a number of unneeded responses.
Keep in mind that Outlook will only email each address once per session (until it is restarted). You cannot automatically reply to a sender with two different messages, for example.
Set Up an Out of Office Vacation Auto-Reply in Outlook for an Exchange Account
If you use Outlook with an Exchange server, you can set up an out of office auto-reply on the server:
- Click File in the main Outlook window.
- Open the Info category.
- Click Automatic Replies.
- Make sure Send automatic replies< is selected.
- To have the auto-responder start and stop automatically:
- Make sure Only send during this time range: is checked.
- Select the desired date and time for starting the auto-responder under Start time:.
- Pick the desired ending date and time under End time:.
- Enter the message of your out-of-office auto-reply under Inside My Organization.
- This email will be sent to people at your company.
- To send automatic responses to people outside your company as well:
- Open the Outside My Organization tab.
- Make sure Auto-reply to people outside my organization is checked if you're okay with the security risk involved
- Enter the message sent to people outside your company.
- Click OK.
To set up an Exchange account auto-responder in Outlook 2007:
- Select Tools | Out of Office Assistant from the menu.
- Make sure I am currently Out of the Office is selected.
- Type a short message under AutoReply only once to each sender with the following text:.
- Click OK.
