20 Out-of-Office Message Examples You Can Copy (2026)

A good out-of-office (OOO) message has four parts: the dates you’re away, whether you’ll have any email access, who to contact in the meantime, and when the sender can expect a reply. Everything below is a copy-and-paste template built on that structure, just swap in your details.

Jump to the situation you need: vacation, same-day, sick leave, parental leave, holidays, or leaving the company.

What every out-of-office message should include

• Your dates away: start and return date.
• Your availability: whether you’ll check email at all.
• A backup contact: name and email of who can help while you’re out.
• A clear expectation: when you’ll respond, so no one is left guessing.

Keep it short. Two to four sentences is plenty.

Vacation out-of-office messages

Standard vacation

Thank you for your email. I’m out of office on vacation from [start date] until [return date] with limited access to email. I’ll respond to your message when I return. For anything urgent, please contact [name] at [email]. Thank you for your patience.

Fully unplugged

I’m away from [start date] to [return date] and won’t be checking email during this time. Your message will be waiting for me when I’m back, and I’ll reply in the order received. For urgent matters, please reach [name] at [email].

Short and warm

Hi! I’m currently out of the office until [return date]. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can after that. For immediate help, contact [name] at [email]. Thanks so much!

Same-day or short absence

Out for the day

I’m out of the office today, [date], and will respond to your email tomorrow. For anything urgent, please contact [name] at [email].

In meetings / limited access

I’m in meetings with limited email access today and will reply by end of day tomorrow. For time-sensitive matters, please contact [name] at [email].

Sick leave

Unexpected absence

I’m currently out of the office and not checking email. I’ll respond as soon as I’m able to return. In the meantime, [name] at [email] can assist you with anything urgent. Thank you for understanding.

You’re not obligated to explain a medical reason, “out of the office” is enough.

Parental leave

Thank you for your message. I’m on parental leave from [start date] until approximately [return date] and won’t be monitoring email. For anything requiring attention during this time, please contact [name] at [email], who is covering my responsibilities. I’ll respond to your note when I return.

Holiday out-of-office messages

Company holiday closure

Thank you for reaching out. Our office is closed for [holiday] from [start date] through [return date]. We’ll respond to your message when we reopen on [date]. We hope you enjoy the holiday!

Year-end break

Happy holidays! Our team is out from [start date] and will return on [return date]. We’ll reply to your email shortly after we’re back. Wishing you a wonderful end to the year.

Leaving the company

Thank you for your email. As of [date], I’m no longer with [company]. For [type of request], please contact [name] at [email]. For all other inquiries, reach [team/email]. I wish you all the best.

How to set an out-of-office reply in Gmail

1. Open Gmail and click the gear icon → See all settings.
2. On the General tab, scroll to Vacation responder.
3. Turn it on, set your first and last day, and enter your subject and message.
4. Choose whether to send only to your contacts.
5. Click Save Changes at the bottom.

A detail people overlook: your signature is still working while you’re away

Even when you’re out, your auto-reply carries your email signature, and it’s often the first impression a new contact gets. If that signature is outdated or off-brand, every OOO reply reinforces the wrong image.

With Firma, your team’s signatures stay consistent and current automatically, so even your out-of-office replies look professional. An admin updates them once and the change reaches every Gmail account, start free.

Frequently asked questions

How long should an out-of-office message be? Two to four sentences. Include your dates, a backup contact, and when you’ll reply, nothing more.

Should I say why I’m out? Only if you want to. “Out of the office” is professional and sufficient for vacation, sick leave, or personal time.

Can I set different replies for internal and external senders? In Gmail’s vacation responder you can limit the reply to people in your contacts. For more granular internal/external rules, you’ll need Google Workspace admin settings or a third-party tool.