How to Setup Auto Reply in Outlook?

Yes, Microsoft Outlook also comes with an option to setup auto reply in outlook. If you are a corporate employee, associate or a business person, then you must be using Microsoft Outlook to check and send or receive your emails. Even outlook can be used for personal emails as well, such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc. You just need to configure your respective email once with easy steps and can check your email easily.

[Read: How to Configure Gmail for Outlook?]

Setup Auto reply in Outlook 2013, 2016 & 2019

For business and office use, an automatic reply of emails is very important sometimes. Suppose, somebody sent you a contract copy or any important document by email and he/she won’t get a reply after a while. The sender or email must suspicious whether the email was delivered or not? If you could have set up an automatic reply in your outlook then, the sender of the email has been acknowledged automatically with an auto reply email.

Create Automatic Reply Email Template

Note: You can apply the instructions given in this article for Microsoft Outlook 2019, 2016 & 2013 along with Outlook for Office 365.

First of all, we need to create or setup an automatic reply email template within outlook. To do that, follow below steps:

• Click on New Email option from your Outlook ribbon bar
  
• Above action will open an email compose window on your screen. Enter appropriate subject line and message regarding which show the recipient that you are not available at this time.
  
• Now we need to save this auto reply template. Therefore, navigate to File Menu and select Save As.

1. In this Save As windows, change Save as type to Outlook Message Format. The moment you select this format type, it will automatically take you to the outlook template directory (C:\Users\your user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates).
   
2. Check the file name and select Save.
   

Once you have created an outlook auto reply email template, you need to setup a rule for automatic reply when you are out-of-office or on vacations, holidays, etc. Follow below steps:

Create Rule for Automatic Reply (Out-of-Office)

Step 1. Go to File Menu -> Info -> Click on Manage Rules & Alerts.

Setup Automatic Reply in Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013 & Office 365 Click To Tweet

Step 2. Rules and Alerts windows will open on your screen. Choose an appropriate mail box from the drop-down or desired email address if you have configured more than one email address on outlook.

Step 3. In this Rules Wizard window, select Apply rule on message I receive under Start from a blank rule option. Then, click Next.

Step 4. Select condition as Where my name is in the To box and then, click Next

Step 5. Now select reply using a specific template. From this same screen, go down and select hyperlink of a specific template. Check below image for reference:

Step 6. By your above action, Select a reply template window will open. Make sure, you will click on Look in: option and select User Templates in file System in order to get above created auto reply template. Once you see it, select and click Open

Step 7. You are almost near to the last step. Your above action will take you to the previous windows where you can see that your reply path has been set it up. Click Next to continue.

Step 8. You have an option to create exceptions as we selected as except if it is an automatic reply and then, click Next

Step 9. Finally, in this last screen, you have an option to modify or you can specify the name of the rule. We have already changed it to “Out of Office Reply”. You should make it yours. Also, make sure the check box of Turn on this Rule is marked or checked.

At last, just click on Finish button to apply previous all setup or changes. This means, you have successfully setup auto reply in Outlook 2016

[Read: Images Not Displaying in Outlook Email Client [SOLVED]