If you want to take time off work, it’s best to write an out-of-office email (OOO).  In the present-day workplace, out-of-office email is an essential communication tool. It is an autoreply email sent to your clients, colleagues, and customers whenever you’re away from the office. With this automated response, your working partners not only know about your absence but also let them know when they might expect a response to their emails. 

What is an out-of-office email? How is it useful for your business? Or, how do you write a good out-of-office email? Our blog will provide you with a detailed answer to your questions.  We will also provide you with the best 20 out-of-office email template list that can help you write a professional and informative message. Let’s get started!

Importance of Sending Out-of-office Emails

Sending an out-of-office email is crucial for you and others to stay informed and keep things running smoothly while you’re unavailable. These are the following reasons for that:

• Set Expectations: People know you’re away and won’t expect a quick reply, avoiding frustration.
• Show Professionalism: Using an autoreply email shows courtesy and respect for others’ time.
• Give Context: People can understand why you’re unreachable (vacation, business trip, etc.).
• Offer Alternatives: People know who to contact if their request is urgent.
• Reduce Follow-ups: People are less likely to keep emailing or calling if they know you’re away.

List of the Top 20 out-of-office Email Template

This type of out-of-office email can be used whenever you are unavailable, from taking sick leaves to leaving for a vacation. Let’s know which are the most widely popular out-of-office email templates that you can use based on various situations. Here are the best 20 options:

1. Basic out-of-office Email

Subject: Out-of-office

Thank you for your email. I am out of the office until [Return Date] and won't be able to check my email during this time. If you need urgent assistance, please contact [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information]. Otherwise, I will respond to your email when I get back to the office. 

Best regards,

[Your Name] 

2. Out-of-office email for Extended Leave

Subject: Extended out-of-office

Thank you for your email. I am out of the office on extended leave until [Return Date] and will not be able to check my email during this time. If your matter is urgent, please contact [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information]. Otherwise, I will reply to your email or any further queries when I get back.

Thank you for your patience,

[Your Name]  

3. Out-of-office Email for Attending Conferences or Training

Subject: Attending [Conference/Training Event] 

Thank you for your email! I am currently out of the office and busy attending [Conference/Training Event] from [start Date] to [End Date]. During this time, I won't be checking my email. If you need immediate assistance, please contact [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information]. For any non-urgent queries, you will have to wait until I get back.

Best regards,

[Your Name]  

4. Out-of-Office Email for Vacation

Subject: Vacation Break

Thanks for reaching out with your queries! I am on vacation from [Departure Date] until [Return Date] and won't be checking my email during this time. I will respond to your email upon my return, but if you require an immediate answer, please contact [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information]. 

Warm regards,

[Your Name]  

5. Out-of-office Email for Personal Matters

Subject: out-of-office for Personal Reasons

Thank you for your email. I am out of the office due to personal reasons until [Return Date] and won't be checking my email during this time. I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience. If you need immediate assistance, please contact [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information]. If not, I will get in touch with you as soon as possible after I return.

Kind regards,

[Your Name] 

6. Out-of-office Email for Taking a Break

Subject: Taking a Break 

Thank you for your email. I’m taking a break from [Departure Date] until [Return Date]. During this time, I won’t have access to my work email. You can wait until I come back. However, for any urgency, please contact [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information].  

Warm regards,

[Your Name]  

7. Out-of-office Email for Working Remotely

Subject: Working Remotely 

Thank you for reaching out. I’m currently working remotely from [Start Date] to [End Date]. During this period, I will have limited access to emails. Please expect a delay in response due to time differences. However, I will try to respond within 24–48 hours. If you need immediate assistance, please contact [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information]. 

Thank you for your understanding.

[Your Name]  

8. Out-of-office for Promotion

Subject: Promotion 

Thank you for your email. I’ve recently been promoted and won’t be able to respond to emails until [Return Date]. In the meantime, if you want anything urgent, please contact [colleague Name] at [Contact Information]. Thank you for your understanding, and I hope to get in touch with you again soon.

Best wishes,

[Your Name] 

9. Out-of-office Email for Medical Leave

Subject: Medical Leave out-of-office

Thank you for your email. I’m currently unavailable due to medical reasons from [Departure Date] until [Return Date]. During this time, I won’t be able to respond to any work-related emails. However, if you want immediate assistance, please contact [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information]. 

Regards,

[Your Name] 

10. Out-of-office Email for Business Travel

Subject: Business Travel

Thank you for your email. I’m out of the office due to a business trip from [Departure Date] until [Return Date]. During this time, I have no email access and won’t be able to respond to your email until I return. Please reach out to [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information] if you need immediate assistance. I will get in touch with you via email when I return.

Best regards,

[Your Name] 

11. Out-of-office Email for Maternity/Paternity Leave

Subject: Maternity/Paternity Leave

Thank you for directing your queries to me. Unfortunately, I’m out of the office for [Duration] on maternity/paternity leave. During this time, I won’t be checking my email until [Return Date]. I will get in touch with you via email when I return. In the meantime, [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information] can help you if you need anything urgent. I appreciate your understanding.

Warm regards,

[Your Name] 

12. Out-of-office Email for Volunteering Leave

Subject: Voluntary Leave

Thank you for your email. I’m currently taking a volunteer leave to focus on personal growth and will have limited access to emails until [Return Date]. If you require any work-related assistance, please contact [Colleague Name]. Feel free to reach out to [him/her] at [Contact Information] any time. 

I appreciate your support during this time.

Best wishes,

[Your Name]

13. Out-of-office Email for Continuing Studies

Subject: Continuing Studies 

Thank you for reaching out to me! I won’t be able to answer any work emails from [Start Date] to [End Date] as I have taken a break to pursue my education. Please expect a delay in response due to schedule conflicts. For immediate assistance, please get in touch with [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information]. Otherwise, I will get back to you after I return [Return Date].

Thank you for your patience.

Regards,

[Your Name] 

14. Out-of-office Email for Retirement

Subject: Retirement

Thank you for your email. I officially retired after [Years of Service] and won’t be available to respond to your emails. If you have any urgent matters, please contact [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information]. 

I appreciate your support throughout my career.

Sincerely,

[Your Name] 

15. Out-of-office Email for Personal Day off

Subject: Personal Day Off

Thank you for reaching out to me. I'm currently on a personal day off today [Date] due to a [Reason In Brief]. During this period, I won't be able to respond to emails. If your matter requires immediate attention, please contact [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information]. I appreciate your understanding and will get back to you when I return.

Best regards,

[Your Name] 

16. Out-of-office Email for a Training Seminar

Subject: Training Seminar 

Thank you for your queries. I’m currently attending a training seminar from [Start Date] to [End Date]. During this period, I will be unable to respond to emails until [Return Date]. If you need anything urgent, please feel free to connect with [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information]. 

Thank you for your patience.

Warm regards,

[Your Name]  

17. Out-of-office Email for Jury Duty

Subject: Jury Duty

Thank you for your message. I've been selected for jury duty from [Start Date] to [End Date]. During this time, I have limited access to email. For any immediate assistance, please contact [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and will get back to you upon my return.

Best wishes,

[Your Name] 

18. Out-of-office Email for Relocation

Subject: Relocation

Thank you for reaching out. I’m away from the office and currently busy with the relocating process. I will be able to respond to emails when I return [Return Date]. In my absence, if you have any urgent matters, please contact [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information. I will get back to you after I’m settled in the new location.

I appreciate your understanding.

Regards,

[Your Name] 

19. Out-of-office Email With Additional Contact Information

Subject: Out-of-office

Thank you for your email. I'm out of the office and won’t be able to respond to emails promptly until [Return Date]. However, if you require immediate assistance, please reach out to [Colleague Name] at [Contact Information]. For non-urgent matters, I will get back to your email upon my return. In the meantime, you can also get in touch with me via my personal email at [Your Personal Emai].

Your understanding is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

[Your Name] 

20. Out-of-office Email Template With Department Information

Subject: Out-of-office 

Hello! Thank you for the email. Unfortunately, I am unable to reply to any work-related emails until [Return Date]. If you need anything urgently, please direct your queries to the [Department Name] at [Contanct Information]. Someone from the team will reach out to you within 24 hours. Thank you for your patience. 

Enjoy your day!

Best regards,

[Your Name]

(Remember: These are the general out-of-office email autoreply templates. The structure of these templates can alter as per a person's specific situation. Don’t forget to include relevant dates and contact details of the alternative person.)

Points to Consider While Writing an Out-of-Office Email

When crafting an out-of-office email, include essential information and avoid common mistakes. Here’s what to consider in an autoreply email:

What to include:

• Brief reason for absence
• Duration of absence
• Return date
• Emergency contact person
• Any other relevant details for your role

What to avoid:

• Oversharing personal information.
• Promising immediate responses up to return.
• Providing a colleague's contact without permission.
• Setting unrealistic expectations.
• Including sensitive company information.
• Making your message too long or complicated.

Wrapping Up

In the end, out-of-office email is an autoreply email message used when you can’t respond to people due to specific reasons. They notify your contacts why you’re not responding and when you’ll get back. These emails ensure your business runs smoothly during your absence. To simplify your process of creating an out-of-office email, we have shared an out-of-office email template list based on different scenarios. These templates work great as a starting point. You can create a clear and informative out-of-office email for your contact. 

However, if you still have trouble drafting your out-of-office email, you can use Neo’s AI email writer to help create a well-written message. You can save it as an email template as well and use it whenever necessary. Besides, Neo also offers custom domain integration for creating professional business emails. With this, you can create an edu email easily. The platform also lets you create a free email address with its limited trial offer. So, use Neo and write the most perfect out-of-office email today!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is an out-of-office email?

An out-of-office email is an automated response sent when you’re unavailable. It informs senders about your absence, return date, and alternative contacts for urgent matters.

Q2. When should I use an out-of-office email?

An out-of-office email is appropriate whenever you're unable to respond to emails promptly. You can use an out-of-office email for the following situations, including:

• Vacations
• Conferences
• Medical leaves
• Business trips
• Extended absence

Q3. How can I set up an out-of-office email?

Most email providers offer an autoreply feature. Look for “out-of-office” or “automatic replies” in your email settings to set up your message.

Q4. What is the best out-of-office email?

The best out-of-office email is clear, professional, and provides essential information. It should state your absence period, return date, and an alternative contact for urgent matters. Avoid promising immediate responses upon return, and keep the message brief.