Learn how to set up an automatic reply in Gmail using the Vacation responder. The guide covers opening Gmail settings, turning the responder on, setting the first and last day, writing a subject and message, limiting replies to contacts, and saving. Duration: 5 min.
Video Transcript
In this tutorial we show you step by step how to set up an automatic reply in Gmail using a feature called the Vacation responder. It sends a message you write to anyone who emails you while you are away.
Open Gmail in your browser and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Click See all settings. Stay on the General tab, the first one, and scroll all the way down to the Vacation responder section near the bottom.
Select Vacation responder on. Now set the First day, which is when Gmail starts sending the auto reply. Click the date field and pick a date. If you know when you will be back, tick Last day and set the end date. If you leave Last day unticked, the responder stays on until you turn it off yourself.
Type a Subject for the auto reply, like Out of office, and write your Message in the box below. A good message says you are away, when you will be back and who to contact in the meantime.
If you only want people you know to get the reply, tick Only send a response to people in my Contacts. Finally, scroll down and click Save Changes. Gmail shows a yellow banner at the top of your inbox confirming the responder is on.
A few things to know. Gmail sends the reply to each person only once every four days, not on every email, and it does not reply to spam or to mailing lists.
To turn it off, go back to the same settings, select Vacation responder off and click Save Changes. That is how you set up a Gmail auto reply message.
Watch the full video above to see exactly where to click, then follow the written 7 steps underneath.
What you'll see in this video
- Opening Gmail and clicking the gear icon
- Navigating to See all settings and the General tab
- Scrolling to the Vacation responder section
- Setting First day, Last day, Subject and Message
- Saving and seeing the yellow confirmation banner
What is the Gmail Vacation Responder?
Gmail auto reply feature is officially called the Vacation responder, and it is the simplest way to tell people you are away. Once you turn it on and write a message, Gmail automatically replies to anyone who emails you during the date range you set. It is perfect for holidays, parental leave, conferences or any time you cannot answer email for a while. The responder is smart about not annoying people: it sends your reply to each sender only once every four days rather than on every message, and it never replies to spam or to mailing lists. You can also limit it to people in your contacts. It takes about two minutes to set up, and Gmail shows a clear yellow banner across your inbox so you never forget it is running.
7 Steps to Set Up a Gmail Auto Reply Message
Follow along with the video above as you work through these steps. As shown in the clip, watch where the Vacation responder section sits, near the bottom of the General tab.
- Open Gmail in your browser, click the gear icon in the top right corner, then click See all settings.
- Stay on the General tab (the first one) and scroll all the way down to the Vacation responder section near the bottom of the page. Watch where this section appears in the video above, near the bottom of the page.
- Select Vacation responder on to enable the feature and reveal the date, subject and message fields.
- Set the First day, which is when Gmail starts sending the auto reply. Optionally tick Last day and set an end date. Leave Last day blank to keep it on until you turn it off.
- Type a Subject like Out of office, then write your Message. A good message says you are away, when you will be back and who to contact in the meantime.
- If you only want people you know to receive the reply, tick Only send a response to people in my Contacts. Everyone else then gets no auto reply.
- Scroll down and click Save Changes. Gmail shows a yellow banner confirming the responder is on. To turn it off later, return here, select Vacation responder off and Save Changes. As shown in the video, the yellow banner appears at the top of your inbox right after saving.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Gmail sends your auto reply to each person only once every four days, not on every email they send. The same person gets it again only if they email after four days or after you edit the message.
- The responder runs from 12:00 AM on the first day to 11:59 PM on the last day. If you leave the Last day field blank, it stays on until you manually turn it off.
- Spam and mailing lists never receive your auto reply. Gmail skips them automatically so you do not bounce replies to newsletters or junk mail.
- The Vacation responder sends the same message to everyone. If you need different replies for different senders, use Templates (under the Advanced tab) combined with filters instead.
- If you use more than one Gmail account, the responder is set per account. You need to turn it on separately in each account you want it active for.
Tips for a Better Auto Reply
- Keep the message short, three to five sentences. State that you are away, your return date and an alternative contact for anything urgent.
- Always set a Last day if you know your return date, so the responder turns itself off and you do not keep replying after you are back.
- For work email, tick Only send a response to people in my Contacts to avoid auto replying to unknown senders and cold emails.
- Set it up on the mobile Gmail app and it syncs everywhere, so you can turn the responder on or off from your phone while travelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Gmail Vacation responder?
The Vacation responder is Gmail built-in auto reply feature, also called out of office. When turned on, it automatically replies to incoming emails with a message you write, telling people you are away. You set a date range, a subject and a message, and Gmail handles the replies until the end date or until you turn it off.
How often does Gmail send the auto reply to the same person?
Gmail sends your auto reply to each sender only once every four days, not on every email they send. This stops people from getting spammed with repeated replies. If the same person emails you again after four days, or after you edit the message, they receive the reply again with your latest text.
Does the auto reply go to everyone who emails me?
By default yes, but you can limit it. Tick Only send a response to people in my Contacts in the Vacation responder settings, and then only people in your Google Contacts receive the reply. Gmail also never replies to messages that land in spam or that are addressed to a mailing list or group.
When exactly does the auto reply start and stop?
The Vacation responder starts at 12:00 AM on the first day you set and stops at 11:59 PM on the last day. If you leave the Last day field blank, the responder stays active until you go back into settings and turn it off manually.
How do I turn off the Gmail auto reply?
Open Gmail, click the gear icon, choose See all settings, stay on the General tab and scroll to the Vacation responder section. Select Vacation responder off, then click Save Changes. You can also click End now on the yellow banner that appears at the top of your inbox while the responder is active.