Out-of-office message templates
Turn on an out-of-office reply whenever you'll be unable to answer email for more than one business day. Keep it to a few lines that cover your return date, what happens to emails sent while you're away, and who to contact if it can't wait. Where you're going and why is nobody's business.
By Alvyn Detavernier, founder · published
When to use it
- Vacation or PTO of more than a day, including long weekends around Thanksgiving, July 4th or year-end.
- Conferences, trade shows or trainings where you'll only check email once a day.
- Medical, parental or family leave, set up by you or a manager without stating the reason.
- Leaving the company: the auto-reply routes people to your replacement for a few weeks.
- Crunch periods such as month-end close or a product launch, when replies will take days instead of hours.
The templates, ready to copy.
Replace the parts in brackets with your details, proofread, send.
Template 1
Short and standard (vacation)
Hi, Thanks for your email. I'm out of the office through [Day, Month Date] with no access to email, and I'll reply when I'm back on [Day, Month Date]. If you need help before then, please contact [Name] at [email] or [phone]. Best, [Your Name]Template 2
Routing by topic
Hi, Thanks for reaching out. I'm away through [Day, Month Date] and back on [Day, Month Date]. Depending on what you need: - Orders and shipping: [Name], [email] - Billing and payments: [Name], [email] - Urgent technical issues: [on-call number] If it can wait, I'll get back to you within two business days of my return. Thanks, [Your Name] [Title], [Company name]Template 3
Friendly (small business closure)
Hi there, Our team at [Company name] is taking a short break: we're closed from [date] through [date]. Your message came through, and we'll answer as soon as we're back on [date]. Orders placed on [website] in the meantime will ship starting [date]. Thanks for your patience, [First name] at [Company name]Template 4
Conference or travel (delayed replies)
Hi, I'm at [Event name] in [City] through [date] and checking email once a day, so expect a reply within 24 to 48 hours. If it's urgent, call or text me at [work phone] between 12 and 2 p.m. [time zone]. Best, [Your Name]Template 5
Extended leave
Hello, I'm currently on leave and not monitoring this inbox. [Name], [title], is handling my accounts and can be reached at [email] or [phone]. Please write to them directly, since messages sent here are not forwarded. Thank you, [Company name]Template 6
No longer with the company
Hello, As of [date], I'm no longer with [Company name], and this inbox will be closed on [date]. [Name] is taking over my projects and has the full history of our conversations. You can reach them at [email] or [phone]. Thanks for everything, [Your Name]
Tips to make it work.
- Lead with your return date, written as a day and a date ("back Monday, July 7"), so no one has to guess whether "the 7th" is a weekend.
- Add a time zone when your contacts are spread across the country: "I'll reply after 9 a.m. ET on Monday."
- Use separate internal and external replies. Outlook offers a separate reply for people outside your organization, and Gmail can limit the vacation responder to people in your contacts.
- Tell your backup before you name them, and confirm they're not off the same week.
- Set an end date in Gmail or Outlook so the reply switches off on its own, then send yourself a test from a personal address.
Mistakes to avoid.
- Oversharing: "I'm in Cancun" or "I'm having surgery" tells strangers and phishing bots more than they need to know.
- Writing "limited access to email", which makes people wait for a reply you won't send.
- Naming a backup who wasn't told, or a shared inbox nobody watches.
- Promising messages will be forwarded when no forwarding rule exists.
- Forgetting to turn it off, so clients get a stale return date a week after you're back.
Frequently asked questions.
What should an out-of-office message say?
Should I give a reason for being out of the office?
How do I set up an out-of-office reply in Outlook or Gmail?
Do I need an out-of-office message for a federal holiday?
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