Out of Office Message Examples
Out of Office Message Examples and Generator
Build your own out of office message examples in a few seconds: choose the reason and the tone, add the details you want to share, and copy the result. You get an email auto-reply, a subject line and a short status for Slack or Teams. Every field is optional, and nothing you type leaves this page.
This out of office message generator holds 80 hand-written templates across nine reasons and four tones. Each combination has two or three versions, and “Another version” moves to the next one.
How to write a professional out of office message
An out of office email has one job: tell the sender when to expect a reply and where to go if they cannot wait. A professional out of office message does that in three or four sentences.
What to include
- The date you are back, or the dates you are away. If you do not know, say that you will update the message.
- One named person or shared mailbox for anything that cannot wait, with an email address.
- Whether you will read the message on your return. If you will not, ask the sender to send it again.
- A route for real emergencies, if your role needs one.
What to leave out
- Health detail. The sick leave templates here say only that you are away. Senders do not need a reason.
- Home or travel detail. An automatic reply can go to anyone who emails you, including strangers, so do not say where you are going or that your home is empty.
- Your personal phone number or personal email address.
- A promise to reply by a set day. “On my return” is safer than a deadline you may miss.
- Jokes about customers, colleagues or the organization.
Internal versus external replies
Colleagues and outside contacts need different amounts of detail. For colleagues you can name the person covering each piece of work and point to a team channel. For external senders, keep it shorter: dates, one contact and nothing about internal projects or structure.
With a work or school account, Outlook lets you write separate automatic replies for people inside and outside your organization (Microsoft: how to set up out of office automatic replies in Outlook). Gmail lets you send the vacation responder to your contacts only (Google: send an automatic reply when you’re out of office). A simple approach is to build a friendly version here for colleagues and a formal or brief version for everyone else.
When a funny out of office message is a good idea
The “Light humor” tone adds one gentle line and then gives the facts. The joke is always about the writer or the inbox, never about the reader. It suits internal replies and teams that know you. If customers, job candidates or people with a complaint may receive your reply, choose formal or friendly.
Worked example
Choose “Vacation” and “Friendly”. Enter the name Sam Rivera, the return date Monday, July 13, the cover contact Jordan Lee with the email jordan.lee@example.com, and select “Yes, I will reply on my return”. Select “Build my message” and the builder gives this, as version 1 of 3:
Subject line
Out of office: on vacation until Monday, July 13
Email auto-reply
Hi,
Thanks for your email. I’m on vacation and back on Monday, July 13, and I won’t be checking my inbox while I’m away.
If you need a hand in the meantime, please contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com. I’ll reply when I’m back.
Thanks,
Sam Rivera
Slack or Teams status
On vacation until Monday, July 13. Not checking messages. For help: Jordan Lee.
24 out of office message examples by situation
Complete messages you can copy and adapt. Each one came from the builder above, using sample names and dates.
Vacation out of office message examples
Formal vacation message
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I am out of the office on vacation and will return on Monday, July 13.
In my absence, please contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com. I will respond to your message on my return.
Kind regards,
Sam Rivera
Friendly vacation message that asks people to resend
Hi,
I’m taking some time off and will be back on Tuesday, September 8. I’m staying away from email until then.
To keep things manageable, I won’t be reading emails sent while I’m out. Please resend after Tuesday, September 8 if you still need me. In the meantime, please send anything that can’t wait to peopleteam@example.com.
Thanks,
Priya Shah
Brief vacation message
On vacation until Monday, July 13. For help, contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com.
Funny out of office message for vacation
Hi there,
I’m on vacation until Monday, July 13, and my laptop was not invited.
While I’m away, Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com has kindly agreed to stand in for me. If something is truly on fire (figuratively, I hope), contact the help desk at 555-0100. I’ll reply once I’ve dug my way back through my inbox.
Thanks for your patience,
Sam Rivera
Public holiday
Formal public holiday message
Hello,
Thank you for your email. Our office is closed for the public holiday and will reopen on Tuesday, September 8.
For urgent matters, please contact the service desk at 555-0100. I will respond to your message on my return.
Kind regards,
Sam Rivera
Friendly public holiday message
Hi,
We’re closed for the holiday and back at work on Tuesday, September 8. I hope you’re getting a break too.
I’ll work through my inbox when I’m back and reply then.
Thanks,
Priya Shah
Parental leave
Formal parental leave message
Hello,
I am currently away from work on parental leave until Monday, January 4 and am not monitoring this mailbox.
Emails sent while I am away will not be reviewed. Please resend your message after Monday, January 4 if it is still relevant. For matters that need attention before then, please contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com.
Kind regards,
Priya Shah
Friendly parental leave message
Hi,
Thanks for getting in touch. I’m on parental leave and not checking email.
If you need a hand in the meantime, please contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com.
Thanks,
Sam Rivera
Light parental leave message
Hi there,
I’m on parental leave until Monday, January 4. My schedule is now set by someone much smaller than me, and email is not on their agenda.
While I’m away, Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com has kindly agreed to stand in for me.
Thanks for your patience,
Sam Rivera
Sick leave, with no detail given
Formal message with no return date
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I am currently out of the office.
In my absence, please contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com.
Kind regards,
Priya Shah
Friendly message with no return date
Hi,
I’m out of the office for now. I’ll update this message when I have a return date.
In the meantime, please send anything that can’t wait to operations@example.com.
Thanks,
Sam Rivera
Brief message with a return date
Currently away from work, expected back on Monday, July 13. Not checking email. Contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com in the meantime.
Conference or training
Friendly conference message
Hi,
Thanks for your email. I’m at a conference until Tuesday, September 8, so I’ll be slower to reply than usual.
If you need a hand in the meantime, please contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com. I’ll reply when I’m back.
Thanks,
Priya Shah
Formal training course message
Hello,
I am away at a training course until Tuesday, September 8 and will check email only occasionally.
If your message is urgent, please contact the service desk at 555-0100.
Kind regards,
Sam Rivera
Light conference message
Hi there,
I’m at a conference until Tuesday, September 8, collecting ideas, notes and more tote bags than anyone needs. Replies will be slow.
While I’m away, Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com has kindly agreed to stand in for me.
Thanks for your patience,
Priya Shah
Part-time working days
Friendly part-time message
Hi,
Thanks for your email. I work part-time (Monday to Wednesday), so there may be a short wait before I reply.
If you need a hand in the meantime, please contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com.
Thanks,
Sam Rivera
Brief part-time message
I work Tuesday to Thursday. I’ll reply on my next working day. Urgent: the help desk at 555-0100.
Leaving the company
Formal leaving message
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I am no longer with the organization, and this mailbox is not monitored. Please direct your message to Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com.
Kind regards,
Priya Shah
Friendly leaving message
Hi,
I’ve moved on to a new role and no longer use this email address. Thank you to everyone I worked with here. For anything I used to look after, please contact peopleteam@example.com.
All the best,
Sam Rivera
Sabbatical
Formal sabbatical message
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I am on sabbatical and will return on Monday, January 4. I am not monitoring this mailbox during this period.
In my absence, please contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com. Please note that messages received during this period will not be read. If your message still needs my attention, please send it again after Monday, January 4.
Kind regards,
Sam Rivera
Light sabbatical message
Hi there,
I’m on sabbatical until Monday, January 4. By the time I return, this email will be a historical document, so please don’t wait for me.
In the meantime, Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com knows where everything is and can help.
Thanks for your patience,
Priya Shah
General professional out of office message examples
Formal general message
Hello,
Thank you for your message. I am away from the office until Monday, July 13 with no access to email.
In my absence, please contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com. I will respond to your message on my return.
Kind regards,
Priya Shah
Friendly general message
Hi,
Thanks for your email. I’m out of the office until Monday, July 13 and not checking messages.
If you need a hand in the meantime, please contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com. I’ll reply when I’m back.
Thanks,
Sam Rivera
Brief general message
Out of office until Monday, July 13. For help, contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com.
Slack and Teams status examples
A status line has room for one fact or two. Lead with the reason and the return date.
- On vacation until Monday, July 13. Not checking messages. For help: Jordan Lee.
- On vacation until Monday, July 13. Laptop stayed behind. For help: Jordan Lee.
- Out for the public holiday. Back on Tuesday, September 8.
- On parental leave. For help: Jordan Lee.
- On parental leave until Monday, January 4. Reporting to a much smaller boss. For help: Jordan Lee.
- Out of office. For help: Jordan Lee.
- At a conference until Tuesday, September 8. Slow to reply. For help: Jordan Lee.
Questions about out of office messages
What should an out of office message say?
It should say when you will be back, who to contact while you are away and whether you will read the message on your return. Add a route for urgent matters if your role needs one. Leave out health details, travel plans and personal phone numbers.
What is a good professional out of office message?
A good professional out of office message is short and specific. For example: "Thank you for your email. I am out of the office and will return on Monday, July 13. In my absence, please contact Jordan Lee at jordan.lee@example.com." That is the first formal version this builder gives for a general absence, and the out of office message examples above cover eight more situations.
Do I have to say why I am out of the office?
No. Senders need to know when you are back and who can help, not the reason. For sick leave in particular, give no health detail. The sick leave templates in this builder say only that you are away from work.
Can an out of office message be funny?
Yes, if the people who receive it know you. Keep the joke to one line, make it about yourself or your inbox, and still give the return date and a contact. Use a formal or friendly message for customers and other external senders.
Should internal and external out of office replies be different?
Usually, yes. Colleagues can be given more detail, such as who is covering each piece of work. External senders need only your return date and one contact. Outlook work and school accounts let you set separate replies for people inside and outside your organization.
How do I write an out of office message for Slack or Teams?
Use one short line with the reason and your return date, then one contact if there is room. For example: "On vacation until Monday, July 13. Not checking messages. For help: Jordan Lee." This builder writes a status line alongside every email message.
Use these out of office message examples to write an auto-reply for vacation, sick leave, parental leave and more, with a matching Slack or Teams status.
After your out of office message: find a team experience
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