Out-of-office message generator
Write a polished out-of-office auto-reply in seconds. Enter your return date, an optional reason and backup contact, pick a tone — then copy it into your email. Free, no signup.
Your out-of-office message
Paste it into your email auto-reply. Works for email, and the Brief version fits a voicemail greeting too.
A good out-of-office message does three things
It sets expectations (you're away and when you'll be back), it routes anything urgent (a backup contact), and it does both without oversharing. The best OOO replies are short — nobody needs your itinerary, just your return date and a way to get help if it can't wait.
This generator gives you three tones — professional, friendly, or brief — so the reply matches how you talk to customers. The brief version doubles as an away voicemail greeting; the fuller versions fit email auto-replies.
One thing an auto-reply can't do is answer the phone. If your business runs on calls, the line keeps ringing while you're out — which is where an answering service picks up the slack.
Out-of-office message FAQ
What should an out-of-office message say?+
Four things: that you're away, when you'll be back, who to contact if it's urgent, and a thank-you for their patience. Keep it short. You don't need to explain why you're out — a simple "out of the office" is enough.
Is this out-of-office generator free?+
Yes — it's completely free, needs no account, and runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded or stored. Generate as many versions as you want.
Can I use it for a voicemail greeting too?+
Yes. The Brief tone is short enough to read aloud as an away voicemail greeting — just record it with your return date and a backup contact. For a full phone greeting, try our voicemail greeting generator.
Should I include a backup contact?+
If someone can cover urgent matters while you're out, yes — it keeps time-sensitive requests moving and sets expectations that non-urgent ones will wait. If no one is covering, leave it out and just give your return date.
What if I run a business and calls keep coming while I'm out?+
An email auto-reply only covers email — the phone still rings. That's what an answering service is for: it picks up every call while you're away, answers questions, and books appointments, so being out of office doesn't mean missed customers.
Out of office?
Your email can wait. Your phone can't.
RingOwl is the AI answering service for small businesses. While you're away, it answers every call, books appointments, and texts you a summary — so “out of office” never means a missed customer.
7-day trial · 30 minutes included · No credit card.
Related tools