To set an Out of Office message for a Microsoft 365 mailbox using Outlook on the web, sign in to Microsoft Online and enable Automatic replies.

Sign in to Microsoft Online

Open the Microsoft 365 sign-in page:

https://www.office.com

Select Sign in.

Enter the mailbox email address and password.

If prompted:

Complete multi-factor authentication

Choose Stay signed in if appropriate for the device being used

After signing in, open Outlook from the Microsoft 365 app list.

Set Out of Office for your own mailbox

Method 1: From Outlook on the web

In Outlook on the web, select the Settings icon in the top-right.

In the settings panel, search for Automatic replies or select:

Mail

Automatic replies

Turn on Automatic replies.

Choose whether to send replies:

Immediately

Only during a time period

If using a time period, set:

Start date

Start time

End date

End time

Enter the Out of Office message.

If required, choose whether to:

Block my calendar for this period

Automatically decline new invitations for events that occur during this period

Decline and cancel my meetings during this period

Send replies only to contacts or to people outside the organisation

Select Save.

Recommended message format

A typical Out of Office message should include:

• The dates of absence
• Whether email will be monitored
• An alternative contact for urgent matters

Example:

Thank you for your email. I am out of the office until 12 June and will have limited access to email during this time.

For urgent queries, please contact Jane Smith at jane.smith@company.co.uk.

Kind regards

Send different messages for internal and external senders

Outlook on the web normally allows separate messages for:

• Inside your organisation
• Outside your organisation

This is useful if:

• Internal staff need detailed cover arrangements
• External contacts only need a brief response

If the option is available:

1. Enter the internal message in the main message box.
2. Tick the option to send replies outside your organisation.
3. Enter a separate external message.
4. Save the changes.

Set Out of Office for a shared mailbox

If the mailbox is a shared mailbox, the process is slightly different. Access to the shared mailbox is required before these steps will work.

1. Sign in to Outlook on the web with the normal Microsoft 365 account.
2. Open the shared mailbox:

• Select the profile icon in the top-right, then choose Open another mailbox,

or

• Open the shared mailbox directly if it already appears in the folder list

1. Once the shared mailbox is open, select the Settings icon.
2. Go to Automatic replies.
3. Turn on Automatic replies.
4. Enter the message and any start/end dates.
5. Select Save.

Turn Off Out of Office

To disable the Out of Office reply before the end date:

1. Sign in to Outlook on the web.
2. Open Settings.
3. Go to Automatic replies.
4. Turn off Automatic replies.
5. Select Save.

Common issues

Automatic replies option not visible

Possible causes:

• The mailbox is not hosted on Microsoft 365 Exchange Online
• The account does not have the correct mailbox licence
• The mailbox is shared and has not been opened correctly
• The user does not have permission to manage that mailbox

Out of Office replies are not being sent externally

Check whether:

• External replies are enabled
• Replies are restricted to contacts only
• The mailbox is using transport rules or other mail flow controls set by the organisation

Dates were set incorrectly

If the message starts or stops at the wrong time:

• Confirm the selected start and end dates
• Check the Microsoft 365 account time zone settings

Quick summary

The usual process is:

1. Sign in at https://www.office.com
2. Open Outlook
3. Go to Settings
4. Open Automatic replies
5. Turn them on
6. Add the message
7. Set dates if needed
8. Save