How to Schedule Out-of-Office Replies in Microsoft Teams
Out-of-office replies in Microsoft Teams send an automatic message to anyone who chats with you while you are away and change your status so coworkers know you cannot reply right away. You can schedule these away messages up to 90 days in advance, and Teams links them directly to your Outlook calendar to keep your schedule accurate.
Set your out-of-office replies by clicking your profile picture, selecting “Set status message,” then “Schedule out of office.” Enter your message, dates, and save. This automatically syncs with your Outlook calendar.
How to schedule out of office in Teams
Management happens through either the desktop app or mobile app. Both methods sync with your Microsoft 365 account.
Method 1Using the Settings Menu
You can schedule out of office Teams replies directly from the main application settings to let coworkers know when you are away. This built-in menu allows you to set custom dates, times, and a specific message that turns on automatically so you do not have to remember to update your status manually.
Let colleagues know you are away and when you plan to return by following these steps:
1. Click the ‘Settings and more (…)’ icon next to your profile picture.
2. Click the ‘Settings and more (…) ‘ icon next to your profile picture.
3. Select 'Settings,' then navigate to the 'General' tab.
4. Locate the 'Out of Office' section and click 'Schedule.'
5. Toggle the 'Turn on automatic replies' switch to 'On.'
6. Type your message, set your start and end times, and click 'Save.'
Method 2Using your Profile Picture
- Click your Profile Picture in the top right corner of Teams.
- Select Set status message.
- Click Schedule out of office at the bottom of the window.
- Configure your dates and message, then click Save.
Status Message vs. Out of Office Status
Understanding the distinction between a status message and an out-of-office reply in Teams helps manage daily availability.
Summary
Scheduling your out-of-office status in Teams lets everyone know when you are unavailable, while syncing seamlessly with Outlook.
Does setting OOO in Teams automatically update my Outlook calendar?
Yes. Because Teams is part of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, your status syncs with your Outlook calendar. Setting an out-of-office period in Teams creates a corresponding event in your Outlook calendar to block your time and notify others of your absence.
Why is my Teams status not reflecting my OOO settings?
Sign out of Teams and sign back in if your status fails to update. Verifying that your Microsoft 365 account syncs correctly resolves most synchronization errors. IT departments sometimes restrict status updates using group policy settings (network-wide configurations that control user settings).
How do I turn off OOO status before the scheduled end time?
Manual deactivation remains available at any time. Return to your Settings, navigate to the Out of Office section, and toggle the switch to Off. Click Save to revert your status immediately to your previous availability state.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
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