No out-of-office message on new Outlook

Parker Livia 0 Reputation points
2026-08-31T02:54:42.4466667+00:00

Hello,

I'm using the new Outlook and I can't set up an out-of-office message (OOF), because the feature doesn't exist in the settings.

How can this be fixed? Is it possible to get a call from a Microsoft physical technician? I used education account.

Moved from: Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For home

Outlook | Windows | New Outlook for Windows | For education
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  1. BabybooHN 2,955 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-31T03:09:36.38+00:00

    Dear @Parker Livia

    I understand how frustrating it is when the Automatic Replies (Out of Office) option seems missing from your settings in the new Outlook.

    In the new Outlook app and Outlook on the web, Out of Office is listed under Automatic Replies:

    • Click the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner.
    • Navigate to Accounts > Automatic Replies.
    • Toggle on Turn on automatic replies and set your schedule or message. User's image

    Why the option might be missing on an Education Account

    If the Automatic Replies tab is completely absent, this is typically due to one of two reasons:

    • Tenant/Role Restrictions: Your school’s IT administrator may have disabled user-managed automatic replies via the Exchange Role Assignment Policy.
    • Account Type Configuration: Shared mailboxes or non-Exchange connected web profiles may restrict this feature.

    Regarding physical Microsoft technician visits

    Since you are using an education account, hardware and account policy support is managed directly by your institution's IT Helpdesk or M365 Global Administrator.

    • Try accessing Outlook on the Web in an InPrivate browser window to check if the option appears under Settings > Accounts > Automatic Replies.
    • If it is still missing, please contact your institution's IT administrator to verify if automatic reply permissions are enabled for your account.

    For official reference on configuring this feature, see Set up auto-reply in Outlook.

    Please let me know if you have any questions so that we can take the appropriate next steps.

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Yes" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".   

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  2. AI answer

    2026-08-31T02:54:56.3633333+00:00

    In new Outlook for Windows, Automatic replies is available only for supported account types. It is not supported for Gmail, Yahoo, or other POP or IMAP accounts. That is the most common reason the out-of-office option does not appear.

    For a supported work or school Microsoft 365 account in new Outlook, the path is:

    1. View > View settings
    2. Accounts > Automatic Replies
    3. Turn on Automatic replies
    4. Optionally set a time range, then select Save

    If the feature is missing, check the account type in Outlook. If the account is not Exchange/Microsoft 365, the built-in out-of-office feature will not be available in new Outlook.

    For unsupported accounts, the supported alternatives in the provided guidance are:

    • set an automatic reply in the mail provider’s own web settings, if available
    • use an Outlook rule to send an out-of-office message; Outlook must remain open for that rule to work

    The provided material does not include a way to request a call from a Microsoft field technician.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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