Setting a vacation responder
How to set an out-of-office automatic reply in Gmail — including setting start and end dates so it turns off automatically when you return.
A vacation responder (also called an out-of-office reply or auto-reply) sends an automatic message to anyone who emails you while you're away. It lets people know you're unavailable and when to expect a reply.
Quick summary
In Gmail, go to Settings → See all settings → General → Vacation responder. Turn it on, set start and end dates, write your message, and click Save Changes. Gmail will auto-reply to incoming email during that period. Set an end date so it turns off automatically when you return.
Setting up a vacation responder
Open Gmail at mail.google.com and sign in.
Click the gear icon in the top right, then click See all settings.
Stay on the General tab. Scroll down to find the Vacation responder section.
Click "Vacation responder on."
Set the first day — the date your out-of-office starts.
Set the last day — the date it ends. Setting an end date means the responder turns off automatically when you're back. This is important — forgetting to turn it off manually is a common mistake.
Write a subject line. Something like "Out of office: back on [date]."
Write your message. See the tips below for what to include.
Optionally tick "Only send a response to people in my Contacts." This prevents auto-replies going to mailing lists and spam, which can create unwanted bounce loops.
Scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes. Your auto-reply is now active.
The banner at the top of Gmail confirms it's on
After saving, a yellow or orange banner appears at the top of your Gmail inbox confirming the vacation responder is active. You can edit or end it from there.
What to include in your message
A good out-of-office message includes:
- The dates you're away
- When you'll be back and able to reply
- Who to contact for urgent matters (if applicable)
Example:
Thanks for your email. I'm out of the office from [start date] until [end date] with limited access to email. I'll respond when I return. For urgent matters, please contact [name] at [email].
Keep it short and professional. You don't need to explain where you're going.
Tips for a better vacation responder
- Always set an end date. It's easy to forget to turn it off manually.
- Update your phone voicemail too if you receive work calls — people may call as well as email.
- Let close colleagues know directly before you go — don't rely on the auto-reply as your only communication.
- Consider separate replies for contacts inside your organization vs. external senders. Gmail's vacation responder doesn't support this natively, but routing rules in the Admin console can handle it.
Turning off the vacation responder early
To turn it off before the end date:
Click the gear icon → See all settings → General → Vacation responder.
Click "Vacation responder off."
Click Save Changes.
Or click the End now link in the banner at the top of your inbox.
Common questions
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