Free tool, no signup
Free out of office message generator
Say when you are away and what should happen. Get a clean auto-reply you can paste into Gmail or Outlook.
Questions
What people ask
The answers worth having before, and after, you use the tool.
What should an out of office message say?
Four things: that you are away, the date you return, who to contact if it cannot wait, and whether you will reply when you are back. Everything else is optional. Keep it under four sentences so it reads on a phone.
Should I say why I am away?
Only if you want to. "I am on leave until 14 March" is complete and professional on its own. For medical or personal leave, most people give the return date and a contact and leave the reason out.
How do I set an out of office message in Gmail?
Open Gmail on the web, click the gear icon, then See all settings. Scroll to Vacation responder at the bottom of the General tab, switch it on, set the first and last day, paste your message, and click Save Changes.
How do I set one in Outlook?
In Outlook on the web, open Settings, then Mail, then Automatic replies. Turn replies on, set the date range, and paste your message. Outlook lets you send a different reply to people outside your organisation, so write a shorter one for them.
Is this generator free?
Yes. No account, no card, no email address. Write as many messages as you need, copy the one you like, and close the tab.
This tool handles one email. Batmail handles the rest.
An auto-reply tells people you are away. It does not read what arrived while you were. Batmail does that part: it triages the pile overnight and hands you one short brief when you are back.
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