Out of office message generator and templates
Pick the reason, the dates and the tone. The generator writes a reply you can paste into Outlook or Gmail, or copy a template below.
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Out-of-office message templates
Copy a template and replace the parts in [brackets]. 24 templates in 8 groups.
Vacation
Professional, with a backup contact
Thank you for your email. I'm on vacation from [start date] and back on [return date], with limited access to email. For anything urgent, please contact [name] at [email]. Otherwise I'll reply when I'm back. Best regards, [Your name]
No backup contact
Hi, thanks for your message. I'm away on vacation until [return date] and won't be checking email. I'll read every message when I'm back and reply as soon as I can. [Your name]
Long trip (two weeks or more)
Thank you for getting in touch. I'm away from [start date] to [return date]. Because I'll have a lot to catch up on, please resend anything important after [return date], or contact [name] at [email] if it can't wait. Kind regards, [Your name]
Friendly
Hi there! I'm out of the office soaking up some time off until [return date]. Your email is safe with me and I'll get back to you when I return. If it's urgent, [name] at [email] can help. Talk soon, [Your name]
Public holidays
Year-end holidays
Thank you for your email. Our office is closed from [start date] to [return date] for the holidays. We'll reply to every message when we reopen on [return date]. Wishing you a restful end of the year. [Your name] [Company]
One public holiday
Thanks for your message. Our team is off on [date] for [holiday name] and back on [return date]. We'll answer your email then. [Company]
Long weekend
Hello, I'm away for the long weekend and back on [return date]. I'll reply to your email then. For anything urgent before that, please contact [email]. [Your name]
Business trips and conferences
Business trip
Thank you for your email. I'm travelling for work until [return date], and my replies may be slower than usual. For urgent matters, please contact [name] at [email]. Best regards, [Your name]
At a conference
Thanks for reaching out. I'm at [conference name] until [return date] and checking email only once a day. If you're at the event too, reply with a good time to meet. Otherwise I'll get back to you after [return date]. [Your name]
In training
Thank you for your message. I'm in training on [date] and won't see email until [time] or the next working day. For urgent requests, please contact [name] at [email]. [Your name]
Sick leave and parental leave
Sick day
Thank you for your email. I'm out of the office today and will reply when I'm back. For anything urgent, please contact [name] at [email]. [Your name]
Sick, return date not known
Thanks for your message. I'm away from work at the moment and don't have a return date yet. For anything that can't wait, please contact [name] at [email], who is covering my work. [Your name]
Parental leave
Thank you for your email. I'm on parental leave from [start date] until [return date] and won't be reading email. [Name] is covering my work: please contact them at [email]. I look forward to catching up when I'm back. [Your name]
Extended leave
Hello, I'm on leave until [return date]. Messages to this address are not forwarded. For [project or topic], please contact [name] at [email]. For anything else, [team] at [email] can help. [Your name]
Shared inboxes and support teams
Outside business hours
Thanks for contacting [Company] support. Our team works [days], [hours] [time zone], and we've received your message. We'll reply on the next working day. Many answers are in our help center: [help center URL]. [Company] Support
Weekend
Hi, thanks for writing to [Company]. Our support team is away for the weekend and back on [day]. Your request is in our queue and we'll reply in the order messages arrived. You can find guides and answers at [help center URL]. [Company] Support
Holiday closure
Thank you for contacting [Company]. Our office is closed from [start date] to [return date]. We'll answer every request when we reopen. If your account is affected by an outage, check [status page URL] for updates. [Company] Support
Short and simple
One line
I'm out of the office until [return date] and will reply when I'm back.
Two lines, with a contact
I'm away until [return date] with no access to email. For urgent matters, contact [name] at [email].
No date
Thanks for your email. I'm out of the office and will reply as soon as I can.
For colleagues
With a handover
Hi, I'm off from [start date] to [return date]. [Name] is covering [area of work] and has the handover notes in [location]. For anything else, I'll catch up when I'm back. [Your name]
Reachable for emergencies
I'm on leave until [return date] and not checking email. If something is truly urgent, message me on [channel]. Everything else can wait until I'm back. [Your name]
Light and friendly
Recharging
Hi! I'm away recharging until [return date]. Your email will be waiting for me (along with a few hundred others), so please be patient. If it can't wait, [name] at [email] is the person to ask. [Your name]
Offline on purpose
Hello, I'm offline until [return date], on purpose. I'll reply when I'm back with fresh eyes. For anything urgent, contact [email]. Cheers, [Your name]
Short answer
A good out of office message says when you are away, when you are back, and who to contact if it cannot wait. Keep it under 100 words and leave out details you would not tell a stranger. Generate one here, or copy a template and replace the parts in brackets.
How to use the out of office message generator
- Pick the reason, the reader and the tone. The reason only sets the wording. The generator never adds personal details, and for sick leave it says only that you are out.
- Add the dates and an urgent contact. All fields are optional. Leave one empty and the message leaves it out. The generator does not invent a date, a name or an email address.
- Copy the message into your email app. Read it first and change anything that does not sound like you. Then turn on automatic replies with the same start and end dates.
If you have used today's 5 free messages, or prefer to write it yourself, copy one of the templates above.
What to include in an out of office message
| Part | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Return date | Tells people when to expect a reply | I am back on Monday, November 10. |
| Urgent contact | Stops urgent requests from waiting a week | For urgent matters, contact Priya at priya@example.com. |
| What happens to the email | Sets expectations: reply later, or resend | I will reply when I am back. |
| Sign-off | Shows who the message is from | Best regards, Sam |
Keep it under 100 words. People read auto-replies on a phone, often while they wait for something. One clear date and one contact help them more than a paragraph.
What to leave out
- Private details. Auto-replies go to everyone who writes, including newsletters, strangers and spammers. "Out of the office" is enough for sick or personal leave.
- Travel plans. "At a conference in Berlin all week" tells strangers more than they need.
- A promise you can't keep. "I will reply within 24 hours" is risky on vacation. "When I am back" is safe.
- A forwarding address that is a person's private email. Use a work address or a shared team inbox.
Internal vs external messages
Outlook and Gmail for business let you set one reply for people inside your organization and another for everyone else. Use both. Colleagues need the handover: who covers which project, where the notes are, and how to reach you if something is truly on fire. Customers and partners need one contact and a date.
Out of office replies for support teams
A shared support inbox has a different job. It is rarely "away"; it is outside business hours, closed for a holiday, or busy. The reply should say when the team works, confirm that the message is in the queue, and point to self-service answers in the meantime. The support-team templates above do this.
Many questions that arrive after hours are the same ones the help center already answers: how to reset a password, where an order is, how to change a plan. A link to the help center in the auto-reply helps some people. A customer support chatbot on the website can answer those questions at any hour, from the same help pages, and hand the rest to the team in the morning.
How to set an automatic reply
- Outlook: Settings, then Mail (or Account), then Automatic replies. Turn them on, set the time range, and paste the message for inside and outside your organization.
- Gmail: Settings, then See all settings, then General. Find the Vacation responder, set the first and last day, add a subject and the message, and save.
- Slack or Teams: set a status with the return date, so colleagues see it before they write.
Before you leave
- Send your test message to yourself from another address.
- Check that the urgent contact knows they are named in it.
- Set an end date so the reply turns off by itself.
- Update your calendar and chat status with the same dates.
If you write the same procedures again and again for cover while you are away, turn them into a standard operating procedure with the SOP generator.
Frequently asked questions
What should an out of office message say?
Four things: that you are away, the date you are back, who to contact for urgent matters, and when you will reply. A thank-you line at the start is polite but optional.
Should I give the reason I am away?
Only in general terms, if at all. "On vacation" or "at a conference" is fine. For sick or personal leave, "out of the office" is enough. Auto-replies go to everyone who writes, including strangers.
How do I set an out of office reply in Outlook or Gmail?
In Outlook, open Settings, then Automatic replies, turn them on and paste your message. In Gmail, open Settings, then See all settings, then General, and use the Vacation responder section. Both let you set start and end dates.
Should I write a different message for colleagues?
Yes, if your email tool allows it. Colleagues need the handover details: who covers which work and where the notes are. People outside the company need a short message and one contact.
Is it safe to say how long I will be away?
Giving a return date is normal and helps people plan. Avoid details such as travel plans or "my home is empty". If your company has a policy on auto-replies, follow it.
Is the generator free?
Yes. You get 5 free AI runs a day without an account, shared by all our AI tools. What you enter is sent to our AI model to write the message and is not stored. The templates on this page are free to copy with no limit.
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