You might use an automatic reply if:

  • You will be out of the office and you need to let others know.  When using an Out of Office reply, be sure to protect yourself by keeping the reply vague (i.e. "I will be away from my computer until xx/xx/xx") and do not include location of vacation or any other specific information.
  • Automatic replies can be used by to let the sender know you have received their message and will process it as soon as possible or during specific hours of the day

Once the Automatic Reply is turned on, it will send an automatic reply once to each sender, even if the sender sends you multiple messages over a period of time.  The out of office/automatic reply messages will be sent until you turn it off unless you specify different during setup. 

You can use an "Out of Office" rule to automatically send replies to messages you receive.  

Outlook for Windows

  1. Click on File | Automatic Replies.
  2. Click Send automatic replies
  3. If you wish to limit when the message is sent, select "Only send replies during this time range" and specify the time range by selecting the Start time and End time
  4. Type your message for replies to inside your organization (e.g., I am out of the office until xxxx or my email address has changed....)
  5. If you wish to send replies to senders outside the university, click the Outside My Organization tab and set the message
  6. Select My Contacts only or Anyone outside my organization 
  7. Click OK to save changes. 

If you wish to send the automatic replies only on certain days of the week, see Using an Out of Office automatic reply on certain days of the week or Set up recurring Out of Office auto reply for certain days of the week for information

 

Outlook for Mac

  1. Select Tools | Automatic Replies
  2. Click the checkbox for the Send automatic replies for account "xxxxx@uiowa.edu"
  3. In the "Reply once to senders within my organization:" text box, type your out of office message  
  4. Select "Send replies only during this time period" if you wish to limit when the message are sent.
  5. If you are sending during the limited time period, select the Start time and End time
  6. Select Send replies outside my organization if you wish to send them to external users
  7. Select Send only to my Contacts or Send to all external users
  8. In the "Reply once to senders within my organization:" text box, type your out of office message  
  9. Click OK to save.

 

Outlook for the web

  1. Login to your Microsoft 365 account using your HawkID@uiowa.edu and your HawkID Password 
  2. Click the Outlook icon. 
  3. Click the Settings (gear icon) 
  4. Select Mail | Automatic Replies 
  5. Click Turn on automatic replies
  6. Select "Send replies only during this time period" if you wish to limit when the message are sent.
  7. If you are sending during the limited time period, select the Start time and End time
  8. Click the checkbox for "Block my calendar for this period" if you want your calendar blocked off.
  9. Click the checkbox for "Automatically decline new invitations for events that occur during this period" if you would like that option
  10. Click "Decline and cancel my meetings during this period" if you wish to do that and then select which meeting(s) to decline or cancel. 
  11. In the Send automatic replies inside your organization text box, type your out of office message
  12. Select Send replies outside your organization if you wish to send them to external users
  13. Select Send replies only to contacts if you wish to limit which external senders receive the messages
  14. In the text box, type your out of office message
  15. Click Save

 

Outlook for Windows (New)

  1. Click Settings (gear icon) in the upper right corner
  2. Select Accounts | Automatic Replies
  3. In the "These settings are applied a the account level:" field, make sure your account is listed
  4. Click Turn on automatic replies
  5. Select "Send replies only during this time period" if you wish to limit when the message are sent.
  6. Click the checkbox for "Block my calendar for this period" if you want your calendar blocked off.
  7. Click the checkbox for "Automatically decline new invitations for events that occur during this period" if you would like that option
  8. Click "Decline and cancel my meetings during this period" if you wish to do that and then select which meeting(s) to decline or cancel. 
  9. If you are sending during the limited time period, select the Start time and End time
  10. In the Send automatic replies inside your organization text box, type your out of office message
  11. Select Send replies outside your organization if you wish to send them to external users
  12. Select Send replies only to contacts if you wish to limit which external senders receive the messages
  13. In the text box, type your out of office message
  14. Click Save

  1. Login to your Microsoft 365 account using your HawkID@uiowa.edu and your Hawk ID Password 
  2. Click the Outlook icon
  3. Click on the person icon in the right hand corner.
  4. Choose Open Another Mailbox
  5. Enter the account name of your shared departmental account in the "Open another mailbox:" field.
  6. Select the account and click Open.  The account will open in a new tab
  7. Click Settings (gear icon) 
  8. Select Mail | Automatic Replies 
  9. Click Turn on automatic replies
  10. Select "Send replies only during this time period" if you wish to limit when the message are sent.
  11. If you are sending during the limited time period, select the Start time and End time
  12. In the Send automatic replies inside your organization text box, type your out of office message
  13. Select Send replies outside your organization if you wish to send them to external users
  14. Select Send replies only to contacts if you wish to limit which external senders receive the messages
  15. In the text box, type your out of office message
  16. Click Save
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