Setup Auto-Reply/Away Message in Outlook

Overview

You can set up an "away message," or auto-reply, to let people know when you will be out-of-office. This message will automatically send when someone emails you during that time period. If you are graduating, you should set an away message directing people to new contact information as you will be unable to access your St Lawrence University email one year after graduation.

Instructions

Outlook for Web (Webmail)

  1. Navigate to outlook.office.com and sign in.
  2. Click on the Gear icon in the upper right corner.
  3. On the left, select Mail.
  4. To the right of Mail, select Automatic Replies.
  5. Click Turn on automatic replies.
  6. If you want the reply to last for a specific time period, click Send replies only during a time period.
    • Select the Start Time and End Time for the reply to send.
    • If you are graduating, do not set a time period.
  7. In the text box, enter your message. If you are graduating, make sure to include future contact information.
  8. To apply this auto-reply for emails coming from outside of St Lawrence University as well, click Send replies outside your organization.
    • If you want to only send the auto-reply to your known contacts outside of St Lawrence University, click Send replies only to contacts.
    • Copy and paste the above auto-reply message. Alternatively, you can type a new message specifically for users outside of St Lawrence University.
  9. Click Save.

Outlook for Mac

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. At the top left of your screen, click Tools.
  3. Click Automatic Replies.
  4. Check the box that reads "Send automatic replies for account..."
  5. In the box titled "Reply once to senders within my organization", type the message that you would like to send to users within St Lawrence University.
  6. To set a time frame for the message to send, check the box that reads "Send replies only during this time period." Then, enter the start and end date. Graduating students should not select a time range.
  7. To send an automatic response to users outside of St Lawrence University, check the box reading Send replies outside my organization.
    1. To send an automatic response only to non-St Lawrence University members that are listed as contacts in your account, select Send only to my Contacts. If you would like the automatic response to send to all non-St Lawrence University members, select Send to all external senders.
    2. In the box titled "Reply once to senders outside my organization", type the message you would like to send to users outside of St Lawrence University.
  8. Click OK on the bottom right.

Outlook for Windows

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. On the upper left corner, click File.
  3. On the right, click Automatic Replies.
  4. Click Send automatic replies.
  5. If you want the reply to last for a specific time period, click Only send during this time range.
    • Select the Start Time and End Time for the reply to send.
    • If you are graduating, do not set a time period.
  6. Under Inside My Organization, enter the message you would like to send to users within St Lawrence University.
  7. Click Outside My Organization.
  8. If you would like to send an auto-reply to users outside of St Lawrence University, toggle Auto-reply to people outside my organization on. Otherwise, toggle this off and proceed to step 9.
    • If you would like to send an auto-reply to only your contacts outside of St Lawrence University, click My Contacts Only. Otherwise, click Anyone outside my organization.
    • Enter the message you would like to send to users outside of St Lawrence University.
  9. Click OK on the bottom right.

Outlook for Android

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Tap on the Accounts button on the upper left corner of your screen. It will look like a circle with a picture or your initials.
  3. Tap the Gear icon on the lower left corner of your screen.
  4. Tap Automatic replies.
  5. Toggle Automatic replies on.
  6. If you want the reply to last for a specific time period, toggle Reply during a time period on. Otherwise, toggle it off and proceed to step 7.
    • Select the Start Time and End Time for the reply to send.
    • If you are graduating, do not set a time period.
  7. Select who you want the automatic reply to send to. If you want the auto-reply to send to users outside of St Lawrence University, tap Reply to everyone. Otherwise, tap Reply only to my organization and go to step 8.
    • If you want the replies to users outside of the organization with a separate message, toggle Use different replies... on. Otherwise, toggle it off and go to step 8.
    • Under Reply to people outside my organization with, enter the message you would like to send.
  8. Under Reply to people inside my organization with, enter the message you would like to send.
  9. Tap the Checkmark on the upper right corner to save your reply.

Outlook for iOS

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Tap the Menu button on the upper left corner of the screen. It will look like three lines.
  3. Tap the Gear icon on the lower left corner of the screen.
  4. Tap Automatic Replies.
  5. Toggle Automatic Replies on.
  6. Tap Reply Within a Time Range.
  7. If you want the reply to last for a specific time period, toggle Reply Within a Time Range on. Otherwise, toggle it off and proceed to step 8.
    • Select the Start Time and End Time for the reply to send.
    • If you are graduating, do not set a time period.
  8. Tap the Back arrow.
  9. Tap Reply To.
  10. Select who you want the automatic reply to send to. If you want the auto-reply to send to users outside of St Lawrence University, tap Everyone. Otherwise, tap My Organization Only and go to step 11.
    • If you want the replies to users outside of the organization with a separate message, toggle Use different replies on. Otherwise, toggle it off and go to step 10.
    • Tap Reply Inside my Organization With.
    • Enter the message you would like to send to users within St Lawrence University.
    • Tap the Back arrow.
    • Tap Reply outside My Organization With.
    • Enter the message you would like to send to non-St Lawrence University email addresses.
  11. Tap the Back arrow.
  12. Tap the Checkmark on the upper right to save your reply.

If you did not set a time period for your auto-reply, you can navigate to Settings and turn auto-reply off when you return.

Sample Auto-Reply

Here's an example of a post-graduation away message:

"Thank you for your message. I graduated from St. Lawrence University on (date). Please send any future correspondence to my new email address:  xxxxx@xxx.com."

Here's an example of an out-of-office away message:

"Thank you for your message. I will be out of office from (date) until (date). Please contact (department) for inquiries."