Out of office message generator, with 12 examples you can copy
An out of office message says when you are away, when you are back and what happens to the message meanwhile. Fill in the dates and a backup contact, pick a tone, and copy the email auto reply, the WhatsApp away message and the chat offline message. Below the generator are twelve examples to copy as they are.
How it works
- Enter the dates. Enter the first day you are away and the day you are back. The messages name the return day in full, so nobody has to count.
- Name a backup. Add the person covering for you, with their email, if there is one. Leave it empty and the messages make no promise about urgent matters.
- Say what happens to messages. Choose whether messages wait for your return, are forwarded to the backup or are answered by the team. The wording changes with the choice.
- Copy each channel. Pick a tone and copy the version for each channel into Gmail, Outlook, WhatsApp Business or your chat widget. Nothing is stored or sent.
12 out of office message examples
Replace the parts in square brackets and paste the message into your email, WhatsApp or chat tool. Each one keeps to the rules in the next two sections: the return day, what happens to the message and one urgent contact.
Vacation, with a backup: Thank you for your email. I am on vacation from [first day] and back on [return day]. I am not reading email while I am away and will reply when I return. For anything that cannot wait, contact [backup name] at [backup email].
Vacation, without a backup: I am on vacation until [return day] and not reading email. I will reply to your message when I am back. If it is urgent, please send it again on [return day] so it sits at the top of my inbox.
Public holiday, whole office closed: Our office is closed for [holiday name] from [first day] and opens again on [return day]. We will read your message when we are back. For anything that cannot wait, call [phone number].
Sick leave: I am out sick and not checking email. I expect to be back on [return day] and will reply then. [Backup name] at [backup email] is covering my work while I am out.
Parental leave: I am on parental leave until [return day] and not reading email during that time. [Backup name] has taken over my accounts and will reply to your message. You can reach them directly at [backup email].
Conference or travel, with slow replies: I am traveling for [event or reason] from [first day] to [last day]. I am checking email once a day, so replies will be slower than usual. If you need an answer today, contact [backup name] at [backup email].
Short absence, half a day: I am away from my desk until [time] today and will reply after that. If it cannot wait, call [phone number].
Internal message for colleagues: I am out from [first day] to [last day]. [Backup name] is covering my clients and knows where everything stands. If it can wait, leave it in the thread and I will pick it up on [return day].
Customer support team: Thanks for contacting [company] support. We are closed from [first day] and open again on [return day]. Your message is in our queue, and you will hear from us within one business day of our return. Until then, our help center at [help center link] answers the most common questions.
Sales, with a booking link: Thanks for reaching out. I am out of the office until [return day] and will reply when I am back. If you would like to talk sooner, book a time with my colleague [backup name] at [booking link]. Pricing and plans are at [pricing page link].
WhatsApp away message: Thanks for your message. [Name] is away until [return day]. [Backup name] is covering and will reply from this number. If it is urgent, call [phone number].
Live chat offline message: Nobody is on chat right now. We are back on [return day] at [opening time]. Leave your email and your question, and we will reply by email.
What to include
- The dates: the first day away and the day you are back, written out in full.
- What happens to the message: it waits, it is forwarded or the team answers it.
- A backup contact for anything that cannot wait, with a direct email or phone number.
- A subject line for the email version, such as "Out of office until Monday, Nov 10".
- The reason, only when it helps the reader: a public holiday tells a client the whole office is closed.
What to leave out
Leave out any promise you will not keep. "I will respond as soon as possible" on a message nobody is reading sets the wrong expectation. Say instead that you will reply when you are back, and name the day.
- Apologies for being away. A vacation needs no apology.
- Details of where you are. The reader needs the return date, not the destination.
- Exclamation marks and warmth from a system. Plain words read better from an automatic message.
- A second backup for every topic. One name with one address is enough for an absence of a week or two.
How to switch it on in Gmail, Outlook, Microsoft 365, WhatsApp and a shared inbox
| Tool | Where | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail | Settings, See all settings, General, Vacation responder | Takes a subject, a message, a first day and an optional last day. Sends to each sender once, and again if they write after four days. |
| Outlook | File in classic Outlook; Settings, Accounts, Automatic replies in new Outlook and on the web | A start and end time, with separate text for inside and outside your organization. Exchange sends it once per sender. |
| Microsoft 365 shared mailbox | Admin center, Teams and groups, Shared mailboxes, open the mailbox, Automatic replies | A member with full access can set it from Outlook on the web instead. Once per sender while it is on. |
| WhatsApp Business app | Business tools, Away message | Pick a schedule: always, outside business hours or custom times. The greeting message is separate. |
| Shared inbox rule | A rule on the inbox, with a business hours or date check | Sends the template to new messages that match, with a loop guard so it never answers another autoresponder. |
A shared inbox keeps replying while a person is away. In Sektra, a rule the admin set reassigns that person's conversations and routes new ones round robin to whoever is in. The out of office covers the personal mailbox, and the team covers the rest. Auto reply email templates has the team versions.
Questions, answered
What to write, tool settings and the generator itself. If your question is not here, ask us.
What is a good out of office message?
A good out of office message names the day you are back, says what happens to the message meanwhile and gives one contact for anything urgent. It runs three or four sentences, with no apology and no promise you cannot keep.
How long should an out of office message be?
Three or four sentences, about 50 words. Use one sentence for the dates, one for what happens to the message and one for the urgent contact. The WhatsApp and chat versions can be two sentences.
What should an out of office message say?
Three things: the first day away and the day you are back, what happens to the message meanwhile, and who to contact if it cannot wait. Add a subject line with the return date. Leave out apologies and promises you cannot keep.
Should I give a reason for being out of office?
Only when it helps the reader. A public holiday tells a client the whole office is closed. Parental leave explains a long absence. A vacation needs no detail beyond the dates.
How do I set an out of office reply in Gmail?
Open Settings, See all settings, General, and scroll to Vacation responder. Enter the first day, an optional last day, a subject and the message, then save. Gmail sends it to each sender once, and again if they write after four days.
Can I use the same message on WhatsApp?
Use the shorter version the generator makes. In the WhatsApp Business app it goes under Business tools, Away message, with a schedule. A number on the WhatsApp Business Platform has no away message of its own, so the inbox's rules send it.
Does the generator store my dates or names?
No. The messages are built in your browser from what you type, and nothing is sent to Sektra.
Away, and the inbox still answers
Sektra reassigns a person's conversations by rule and round robin while they are out, so every client still hears from someone who can help.