What should an out of office message include?

Three things: that you are away, the date you will be back, and who to contact if it can't wait. Add the reason only if it helps the reader, such as a holiday closure.

Should I say why I'm out of the office?

You don't have to. "I'm out of the office" or "I'm on leave" is enough. Mentioning a holiday closure or a conference can help people judge how quickly you'll reply.

How long should an out of office message be?

Two to four sentences. People skim auto-replies for the return date and a contact, so anything longer gets ignored.

Out of office message examples

An out of office message should say that you are away, the date you are back, and who to contact in the meantime, in three or four short lines. Below are examples for vacation, holidays, sick days, travel and longer leave. Copy one and fill in the brackets, or paste your own draft into the rewriter to tighten it.

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Standard out of office message

Thank you for your email. I'm out of the office until [date] with limited access to email. For anything urgent, please contact [Name] at [email]. Otherwise, I'll reply when I'm back.
Hi, I'm away until [date] and won't be checking email. If your message can't wait, [Name] ([email]) can help. Thanks for your patience.

Vacation

Thanks for your message. I'm on vacation until [date] and won't have access to email. For urgent matters, please reach out to [Name] at [email]. I'll get back to you after I return.
I'm taking some time off and will be back on [date]. I won't be reading email while I'm away. If you need something before then, [Name] at [email] is covering for me.

Holiday period

For office closures, give the date the whole team is back, not just you.

Thank you for your email. Our office is closed from [date] to [date] for the holidays and reopens on [date]. I'll reply to your message then. Wishing you a restful break.

Sick day or unexpected absence

I'm out of the office today and may be slow to respond. For anything time-sensitive, please contact [Name] at [email]. Thank you for your understanding.

Conference or business travel

I'm traveling for work until [date] and will be checking email less often than usual. I'll reply as soon as I can. For urgent requests, please contact [Name] at [email].

Parental or extended leave

Thank you for your email. I'm on leave until [month/date] and won't be checking messages. For [project or area], please contact [Name] at [email]. For anything else, [Name] at [email] can point you in the right direction.

Short version for internal colleagues

Out until [date]. For [project], ping [Name]. Back soon.

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Frequently asked questions

What should an out of office message include?: Three things: that you are away, the date you will be back, and who to contact if it can't wait. Add the reason only if it helps the reader, such as a holiday closure.
Should I say why I'm out of the office?: You don't have to. "I'm out of the office" or "I'm on leave" is enough. Mentioning a holiday closure or a conference can help people judge how quickly you'll reply.
How long should an out of office message be?: Two to four sentences. People skim auto-replies for the return date and a contact, so anything longer gets ignored.