Quick template

The best general-purpose OOO works for nearly any situation. Copy this, swap the bold parts, and you're done:

Subject: Out of office — back [date] Hi — I'm out of the office [start date] through [end date] with limited email access. For anything urgent, please contact [name] at [email]. For everything else, I'll respond when I'm back on [return date]. Thanks, [Your name]

An out of office message is one of the few pieces of writing at work where every word has to do a job. The sender is scanning — in under three seconds they need to know when you'll be back, whether they can reach someone else, and what to expect next. Bury that and you've wasted both their time and your reputation.

Below are 60+ templates for every workplace scenario. Skim to the section you need, copy the template, swap in your details, and set it. Each one has been written to take the sender from "wait, when are they back?" to "got it — I know what to do next" in two sentences or less.

The anatomy of a great OOO

Four things every OOO needs

When
Exact return date. "Back next week" is useless. "Back Monday, June 16" is actionable.
Access
Tell senders whether you'll check email at all. "Limited access," "no access," or "checking once a day" all set different expectations.
Backup
One named person with an email. Not "the team" or a generic mailbox. A real human who can actually help.
Expectation
When the sender can expect a reply. "I'll respond when I'm back" beats radio silence.

Vacation OOO templates

The standard vacation OOO. Most workplaces are fine with a clean, professional version — save the personality for the people who actually know you.

01 Standard vacation (5+ days)
Hi, I'm out of the office [start date] through [end date] and will have limited email access. For anything urgent, please contact [name] at [email]. For everything else, I'll respond when I'm back on [return date]. Thanks for your patience. [Your name]
02 Short vacation (1-3 days)
Hi — I'm out of the office until [return date]. For anything urgent, please reach out to [name] at [email]. Otherwise I'll respond when I'm back. [Your name]
03 Long vacation (2+ weeks)
Hi, I'm out of the office from [start date] through [end date] and will not be checking email during that time. For urgent matters, please contact [name] at [email]. For project-specific questions, my team is reachable at [team email or channel]. I'll respond to non-urgent emails when I'm back on [return date]. Thank you. [Your name]
04 Vacation with no email access at all
Hi, I'm on vacation from [start date] through [end date] and will have no email access during that time. Your message will not be read or forwarded until I'm back. For anything that can't wait, please contact [name] at [email]. I'll process your message when I return on [return date]. [Your name]
05 Vacation but checking email once a day
Hi — I'm out of the office from [start date] through [end date]. I'll be checking email once a day, so non-urgent replies may take 24-48 hours. For anything time-sensitive, please contact [name] at [email]. [Your name]
06 Casual / friendly tone (internal teammates)
Hey! I'm on vacation through [return date]. Slack will be quiet, email even quieter. If it's urgent: ping [name] in #[channel] — they're covering for me. If it's not urgent: I'll get to it when I'm back. Thanks! [Your name]
07 Holiday season / company shutdown
Hi, Our office is closed for the holiday season from [start date] through [end date]. I'll be unreachable during that time and will respond when we reopen on [return date]. For urgent matters, please contact our team at [team email] — someone will be monitoring it intermittently. Wishing you a great end to the year. [Your name]

Sick day OOO templates

Keep these brief and don't overshare. "Out sick today" is plenty — nobody needs a symptom list. The goal is to let people know not to wait on you.

08 One-day sick
Hi — I'm out sick today and won't be reading email. I'll respond when I'm back tomorrow. For anything urgent, please contact [name] at [email]. [Your name]
09 Multi-day sick (uncertain return)
Hi, I'm out sick and will be away from email for the next few days. I expect to be back by [date], but I'll send an update if that changes. For anything urgent, please contact [name] at [email]. Thanks for your patience. [Your name]
10 Mental health day (use direct language with your team, lighter OOO for everyone else)
Hi — I'm out of the office today and not checking email. Back tomorrow. For urgent matters, please contact [name] at [email]. [Your name]
11 Medical procedure / recovery
Hi, I'm out of the office for a medical procedure and will be recovering from [start date] through [return date]. I will not be reading email during that time. For anything urgent, please contact [name] at [email]. For project-specific questions, my team is at [team email]. I'll catch up on everything when I'm back. [Your name]

You don't owe anyone medical details

"Medical reasons" is more than enough explanation, and "out of office" without a reason is fine too. The temptation to over-explain is real — resist it. The professional standard is to communicate when you'll be back, not why you're away.

Parental leave OOO templates

Parental leave is longer than vacation and the OOO should reflect that. Be clear about the entire window, give a named backup for the duration, and don't promise to monitor email.

12 Maternity leave
Hi, I'm on maternity leave from [start date] through [expected return date]. I will not be checking email during this time. For matters related to [your role/team], please contact [name] at [email] — they are covering during my leave. For anything outside that scope, please reach [backup name] at [email] or wait until I return. Thank you, [Your name]
13 Paternity leave
Hi, I'm on paternity leave from [start date] through [return date] and will be away from email during that time. For anything related to my work, please contact [name] at [email]. I'll respond to non-urgent emails when I'm back on [return date]. [Your name]
14 Adoption leave
Hi, I'm on adoption leave from [start date] through [return date] and will be unreachable by email during that time. For ongoing work, please contact [name] at [email], who will be covering my responsibilities. I'll respond to anything outstanding when I return. [Your name]
15 Returning soon, transitioning back
Hi, I'm wrapping up parental leave and returning on [date]. I'll be back to a regular schedule by [date], with limited email access in the meantime. For anything that can't wait, please contact [name] at [email]. Thanks for your patience as I get back up to speed. [Your name]

Conference, training, and offsite OOO templates

For work-related absences, you can mention the reason — it adds useful context and signals you're still working, just elsewhere.

16 Industry conference
Hi — I'm attending [conference name] from [start date] through [end date] with limited email access. I'll respond to non-urgent emails when I'm back on [return date]. For anything pressing, please contact [name] at [email]. If you're also at the conference, feel free to find me — I'd love to connect. [Your name]
17 Company offsite
Hi, Our team is at an offsite from [start date] through [end date]. I'll have limited email access during that time and will respond when I'm back on [return date]. For anything urgent, please contact [name] at [email]. [Your name]
18 Training course
Hi, I'm in training from [start date] through [end date] and will be away from email during sessions. I'll be checking briefly in the evenings and responding to anything urgent. For matters that can't wait, please contact [name] at [email]. [Your name]
19 Client site visit / travel
Hi, I'm traveling for client meetings from [start date] through [end date]. Email replies will be slower than usual, and may take 24-48 hours. For time-sensitive matters, please contact [name] at [email]. [Your name]

Sabbatical and long leave OOO templates

For absences longer than 3-4 weeks, the OOO is doing a lot of work. Make sure senders know what to do for the entire window, and give them a clear path that doesn't end at "wait for [your name]."

20 Sabbatical
Hi, I'm on sabbatical from [start date] through [return date]. I will not be reading or responding to email during that time, and messages will not be forwarded. While I'm away, please direct: · [Topic A] to [name] at [email] · [Topic B] to [name] at [email] · All other matters to [manager name] at [email] I'll respond to anything still outstanding when I'm back. Thank you for the patience — I'll be ready to engage in late [month]. [Your name]
21 Extended medical leave
Hi, I'm on extended medical leave through [expected return date] and will be away from email during that time. For all matters related to my work, please contact [name] at [email], who has full visibility into my projects. I'll update this message if my return date changes. Thank you, [Your name]
22 Unpaid leave / personal leave
Hi, I'm on personal leave from [start date] through [return date] and won't be reachable by email during that time. For anything related to my work, please contact [name] at [email]. I'll respond when I'm back on [return date]. [Your name]

Last-day-at-the-job OOO templates

This is the one that has to be exactly right. The sender has likely emailed you because they don't know you've left. Be specific about who they should contact going forward and don't leave anyone hanging.

23 Standard final-day OOO
Hi, Thank you for your message. [Date] was my last day at [company], and I no longer have access to this email. For ongoing matters related to [your role], please contact [name] at [email]. For other inquiries, please reach [team email or manager email]. Wishing you all the best, [Your name]
24 Final-day OOO with new contact
Hi, Thank you for reaching out. [Date] was my last day at [company]. This inbox is no longer monitored. For matters related to my former role, please contact [name] at [email]. For anything personal, you can reach me at [personal email] or connect on LinkedIn at [URL]. Best, [Your name]
25 Final-day OOO — warm closing
Hi, Thank you for your message. [Date] marked the end of my time at [company]. It has been a real privilege to work with so many of you. For work-related matters, please contact [name] at [email], who is now covering my responsibilities. For anything else, I'd love to stay in touch — you can find me at [personal email] or on LinkedIn. Wishing you the very best, [Your name]

Before you leave: set this on your final day, not after

The final-day OOO needs to be live the second your access is revoked. Set it before you turn in your laptop. Senders who email you after your last day with no OOO assume their message is sitting unread — which often turns into "this team is disorganized" rather than "the person who used to handle this has left."

Manager-on-leave OOO templates

If you manage people, your OOO has to do extra work — senders need to know who's deciding what in your absence.

26 Manager out, team functioning normally
Hi, I'm out of the office [start date] through [end date]. The team is operating normally and is empowered to make decisions in my absence. For team-related matters, please contact [deputy name] at [email]. I'll respond to non-urgent items when I return on [return date]. [Your name]
27 Manager covering decisions remotely
Hi, I'm out of the office from [start date] through [end date] with limited email access. I'll be reachable for any decisions that require my input, but please allow 24-48 hours for a response. For day-to-day team matters, please contact [deputy name] at [email]. [Your name]
28 Executive / senior leader out
Hi, I'm out of the office from [start date] through [end date]. For matters within my scope, please direct to: · [Decision type A] → [name] at [email] · [Decision type B] → [name] at [email] · All other matters → [Chief of staff or EA name] at [email] I'll catch up on outstanding items when I return. [Your name]

Special situations

29 Bereavement leave
Hi, I'm on bereavement leave and will be out of the office until [return date]. I will not be checking email during this time. For anything urgent, please contact [name] at [email]. I'll respond when I'm back. [Your name]
30 Jury duty
Hi, I'm serving on jury duty from [start date], with an uncertain return date. I'll be unable to check email regularly during proceedings. For anything urgent, please contact [name] at [email]. I'll respond to non-urgent emails as soon as I'm back. [Your name]
31 Half-day OOO (afternoon out)
Hi — I'm out of the office this afternoon and will be back tomorrow morning. For anything urgent before then, please contact [name] at [email]. Otherwise I'll respond in the morning. [Your name]

How to write an OOO that actually works

Any of the templates above will work as-is, but five principles separate a good OOO from a bad one.

The point of an OOO isn't to express your personality. It's to remove the friction of you being away. The best ones are nearly invisible — the sender reads them, learns what they need to know, and moves on. That's the standard.

Setting a good OOO is also a small piece of evidence about how a workplace operates. Teams that take communication seriously tend to have clean OOOs as a baseline; teams that don't tend to leave senders guessing. Yours is one of the easiest things to fix today.

Heading out for vacation? Send the team a card before you go

Create a free digital group card — perfect for "off for two weeks, thanks for covering!" notes that your team can sign and add a GIF or photo. Free, no signup.

Create a Group Card → Welcome-back messages →

Frequently asked questions

What is the best out of office message for work?+
The best out of office message has four elements: the dates you're away, what kind of email you're not reading, a single name to contact for urgent matters, and when the sender can expect a reply. Example: "I'm out of the office June 10-18 with limited email access. For anything urgent, please contact Priya Sharma (priya@company.com). For everything else, I'll respond when I'm back on June 19." Skip the cute opener, skip the personal travel details, give the sender a clear path forward.
Should you include the reason in an out of office message?+
Only if it's professionally relevant. "Out of office attending the AWS Summit" adds context for a colleague who might want to connect there. "Out of office on vacation in Bali" is oversharing for external senders you don't know. For most situations, "out of office until June 19" is enough — the reason is not the recipient's business and adding it usually makes the message worse, not better.
How long should an out of office message be?+
Two to four sentences. The shorter, the better. Senders read OOOs in two seconds — they're scanning for two things: when you'll be back, and who they can contact in the meantime. Long paragraphs about your vacation plans bury the answer they need. The most effective OOOs are five lines or less, scannable, and respectful of the sender's time.
Do you need to mention an emergency contact in your OOO?+
Yes — for any absence longer than two business days, list one specific person to contact for urgent matters. Use a name and email, not a generic mailbox. The point is to give senders an actual human who can help. "Please contact Lin Chen (lin@company.com) for anything urgent" is useful. "For urgent matters please contact the team" is not — it puts the burden of finding the right person back on the sender.
Should you set an out of office for just one day?+
Yes, especially if you typically respond to emails within hours. A one-day OOO sets expectations and prevents the sender from following up at 3pm wondering why you've gone dark. It also prevents the small-but-real cost of someone making a decision without you because they assumed you were ignoring them. For one-day absences, you can skip the alternate contact and just note when you'll respond.
Is it okay to be informal or funny in an OOO?+
It depends on your industry and audience. At a startup where you mostly email internal teammates, a touch of personality works fine. For external clients, government work, or any regulated industry, keep it professional. The risk with funny OOOs is that they land for half the audience and feel wrong to the other half. When in doubt, default to clear and warm — that's never wrong.