Set up out of office: this is how you create an out of office message in your mail app

Great: taking a break and not having to check your mail all the time. Make an ‘Out of office’ beforehand, because then others will know that you are not present. In this tip we show you how to do this.

Absent for a while? This is how you set an out of office notificationmelding

There are different ways to set up an out of office, depending on which mail program you use. In this article we therefore go through them one by one. Tap one of the links below to go directly to the directions for your method.

1. For iCloud Mail Users

Do you use iCloud Mail? Then setting up an out of office message is a breeze:

If you do not specify an end date, you can stop the absentee message by removing the check mark in step five. You can follow the above steps on any device. So it doesn’t matter whether you log in on an iPhone, Mac, Windows or Android.

2. Via the Mail app on the Mac

Do you use a Gmail, Hotmail, or other mail account in Apple’s Mail app? Then setting up an out of office is somewhat more cumbersome. This is because there is no standard function for this.

Instead, you need to create a manual rule. An additional disadvantage of this method is that your Mac must remain on. That’s because the manual rule works locally, and not in the background via iCloud. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Grab your Mac and open the Mail app;
2. Tap on ‘Mail’ in the menu bar and choose ‘Preferences’;
3. Go to the ‘Rules’ tab and press the button to add a new rule;
4. Give this rule a recognizable name, such as ‘Out of office’;
5. Do nothing with the first variable (‘If met…’);
6. Tap ‘Account’ in the second variable and choose the email account for which you want an out of office;
7. Select ‘Reply message’ below and type a personal message under ‘Reply text’;
8. Then press ‘Ok’ twice;
9. look out! Now the Mail app asks if you want to apply the newly created rule to all messages in your mailbox. Select ‘Do not apply’ here. When you click on ‘Apply’, all messages in your mailbox will receive the out of office notification you created. Of course you don’t want this!

Then it’s a matter of leaving your Mac on. When someone emails you, they will automatically receive an out of office message. Once you’re back from vacation, simply uncheck the Rules box in the Mail app to deactivate it.

3. Set up out of office in Gmail

For Gmail users, setting up an out of office is a lot clearer:

1. Open the Gmail app on your iPhone or iPad;
2. Tap on the three horizontal lines at the top left of the screen, scroll down and choose ‘Settings’;
3. Choose your email account at the top and tap ‘Automatic reply’;
4. Slide the switch at the top and enter the start and end date of your absence;
5. Type your out of office message and optionally you can indicate whether only your contacts may receive this email (for privacy reasons);
6. Everything done? Then tap ‘Save’ at the top right.

4. Set up out of office in Outlook

Do you use Outlook on your iPhone? Then it is best to set the out of office message via the app:

1. Open Outlook on your iPhone or iPad;
2. Tap your profile icon at the top left and tap the gear icon at the bottom left;
3. Select the mail account for which you are creating the out of office message;
4. Press ‘Auto Answers’ and slide the switch;
5. Now type your out of office message and once you are done, tap the check mark in the top right corner.

Anyone who emails you now will receive your out of office message. Don’t forget to move the switch from step four the other way when you get back to work. You can also specify a start and end date via the web version of iCloud. That way you don’t have to manually turn off the out of office notification.

What is the best mail app for iPhone?

The App Store is teeming with iPhone mail apps, but you probably only use one. That’s why we recently tested the most popular programs for you and selected a winner. You can read which one that is in the article below.

Tested: The best mail app for the iPhone (and 3 alternatives)