Microsoft 365 (Outlook on the web | Outlook for Windows/MacOS) - Automatic Replies
This topic shows you how to use the Automatic Replies tab. Use automatic replies whenever you want to let people who send you email know that you won't be responding to their messages right away because you are either unavailable or away from the office (such as on vacation). If automatic replies are enabled, only one reply is sent to each sender even if a recipient receives multiple messages from the same sender.
Note for administrators: Some administrative functions in Office 365 require administrators to access a user's account via Outlook on the web, which requires the user to grant the administrator full mailbox permissions. Once the administrator has full mailbox permissions, they can follow these instructions to access the user's account.
Note: The automatic reply will also show up for users who are attempting to interact with you via Teams - the automatic message will appear when they hover over your avatar/account.
Important:
- Automatic reply will be triggered regardless if the user is placed in the To, CC, or BCC fields.
- If there is a forward on the account, automatic replies will not be sent back to senders. The forward will need to be removed.
- If you are needing to configure automatic replies for a service account you are linked to, please use the following article to first access the service account: Office 365 - How to access a Service Account ("Access the service account via 'Open Mailbox' feature in Outlook on the web" section). Then use the 'Outlook on the web' instructions below. The Office 365 team recommends using 'Outlook on the web' instructions to set the automatic reply on a service account you are linked to regardless of the client you are using to interact with the service account.