Home
Simple

Simple out of office message

Simple

Away fromBack on

These replies need a return date

Who coversTheir email

Your name

SubjectOut of office

You have reached me while I am away. I return on and will reply that day. For urgent requests, contact at .

Professional · short · 1 of 2

Also for your time off

Where does it go?

A simple out of office message is three short sentences in everyday words, saying when you are back, who can help and when you will reply, as in "You have reached me while I am away. I return on October 14 and will reply that day. For urgent requests, contact Priya Nair at priya.nair@yourcompany.com."

Simple means no reason, no apology and no clause stacked on another, which is also what reads best on a phone screen and for anyone writing in their second language.

All 12 replies on this page

Type your details in the writer and every reply below fills itself in.

Professional 4

You have reached me while I am away. I return on [Back on] and will reply that day. For urgent requests, contact [Who covers] at [Their email].
Short
Thanks for your email. My time off runs from [Away from] to [Back on]. Please email [Who covers] at [Their email] if it is urgent. I will answer the rest on my return.
Short
Hello, thank you for your message. I am out of the office from [Away from] to [Back on]. I am not reading email while I am away. If you need help now, please contact [Who covers]. Their email address is [Their email]. I will reply to your message on [Back on].
Longer
This reply is automatic. I am away until [Back on]. I will not see your email before then. [Who covers] is covering my work. You can reach them at [Their email]. For anything that can wait, I will write back after I return. Thank you for your patience.
Longer

Warm 4

Thanks a lot for your note. I am away right now and back on [Back on]. [Who covers] can help until then at [Their email].
Short
Hi there. I am off until [Back on]. I will write back then. Need help sooner? Ask [Who covers] at [Their email].
Short
Hi, and thanks for writing. I am taking some time off. I am back on [Back on]. I will read your message then and reply that week. If it cannot wait, please write to [Who covers]. They are covering for me at [Their email]. Have a good week.
Longer
Many thanks for the email. I am out from [Away from] to [Back on]. My inbox will stay closed while I am gone. [Who covers] is looking after my work. Their address is [Their email]. I will get back to you after I return. Talk soon.
Longer

Brief 4

Got your email. I am away until [Back on]. For urgent matters, email [Who covers] at [Their email]. I will answer then.
Short
Out of the office until [Back on]. Please contact [Who covers] ([Their email]) for anything urgent. All other replies resume when I am back.
Short
Away from [Away from] to [Back on], I am not checking email. [Who covers] is covering. You can reach them at [Their email] for anything urgent. I will reply to everything else on [Back on]. Thank you for waiting, and have a good week ahead.
Longer
Your message has reached me while I am away. I am back on [Back on]. This inbox is not monitored while I am gone. For anything urgent, please contact [Who covers]. Their email is [Their email]. Everything else will get a reply from me after I return.
Longer

What to leave out

Long sentences. One fact per sentence is easier to scan in a notification preview.
Formal filler such as "please be advised". Plain words carry the same facts.
More than one contact. A simple reply gives one name and one address.
Abbreviations like OOO or EOD in the body. Not every sender knows them.
A sign-off longer than your name. The reply is the message; a full signature block is noise.

Filling it in

Choose a reply, type your return date and one cover contact, and copy it. These are written to be read in two seconds, so resist adding a reason or a second paragraph; if you need more, the situation pages have longer replies.

Questions people ask

What is a simple out of office message?

Three plain sentences: you are away until a date, one named person can help with urgent matters, and you will reply when you are back. No reason, no apology and no long clauses. It is the version that works for every inbox, from clients to colleagues, and it reads well on a phone.

What is the most basic out of office message?

Two sentences: "I am away until Monday, October 14. For urgent matters, write to Priya Nair at priya.nair@yourcompany.com." Those carry the return date and the cover contact, and the reply day is implied by the return date. Anything shorter starts dropping facts that senders need to decide what to do next.