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Set up an out-of-office reply in Gmail (2026)

3 min read

What you’ll have at the end

An automatic reply in Gmail that goes out when someone emails you while you're away. Google calls this the vacation responder. This guide ends when you click Save Changes.

Google's Gmail help says that in most cases, your reply is only sent to people the first time they message you. Someone can get it again if they contact you after four days and your reply is still on, or if you edit the reply after they received it.

Before you start

You’ll need

  • A Gmail account you can sign in to
  • A computer
  • The first and last day you'll be away
  • The subject and message you'd like people to receive

What it costs. Google's Gmail help on automatic replies doesn't mention any charge.

Please use a computer. These steps are for Gmail on a computer.

Please have ready the dates you'll be away, a short subject line, and the message you'd like people to receive.

Steps

  1. 1. Open Gmail

    On your computer, go to mail.google.com and sign in to the Gmail account you'd like the reply to come from.

  2. 2. Click Settings, then See all settings

    At the top right, click Settings, then click See all settings.

  3. 3. Go to the Vacation responder section

    Under the General tab, please scroll down to the Vacation responder section.

  4. 4. Select Vacation responder on

    Select Vacation responder on.

  5. 5. Enter your dates

    Enter the start date and the end date of your time away. Google says your automatic reply starts at 12:00 AM on the start date and ends at 11:59 PM on the end date, unless you end it earlier.

  6. 6. Enter a subject

    Type a subject for your reply. Google says that when you add a subject line, the person receives your reply in a separate email rather than in the same conversation.

  7. 7. Enter your message

    Type the message you'd like people to receive. If you have a Gmail signature, Google says it shows below the reply.

  8. 8. Choose who gets the reply, if you'd like

    If you'd like only your contacts to receive the reply, please check the box under the message. If you leave it unchecked, the reply isn't limited to your contacts.

  9. 9. Click Save Changes

    At the bottom of the page, click Save Changes. This guide ends here.

If something looks different

  • To turn the reply off before your end date: while it's on, a banner shows across the top of your inbox. Click End now in that banner.
  • If you edit your reply after someone has received it, Google says they get the updated reply if they email you again.
  • Google says emails sent to your spam folder, or addressed to a mailing list you subscribe to, don't get your reply.
  • If you can't find Vacation responder, please check that you're on the General tab. Google says to click Save Changes at the bottom after you're done with each settings page.

Related guides

Sources

Alongrail isn't affiliated with Google.