How to set up out of office replies in Gmail

Vacation. It's all you ever wanted and needed. It's that thing that refuels your cells, makes it possible to get back to the grind, and do the things you do so that you may keep the lights on at home and businesses can keep chugging along.

When you go on vacation, you're still going to receive emails every day. 

And if you're very busy, those emails will stack up. 

That's fine because you can deal with them later. But what about those who sent you the email? 

They may not know you're on vacation and the time between them sending the missive and you finally replying when you get back from vacation can be a source of concern. After all, what if they're sending you timely information that must be acted on?

If they have to start wondering why you're not responding, they might well assume you're not doing the work required or don't care about the relationship (whatever that may be). 

Don't worry, there's a way to help. Out of office replies have been around for a very long time. Essentially, they work as automatic replies that you set up to take effect when you're out of the office and cease when you return. Nearly every email service offers such an option, and Google's Gmail is no different.

Also: How to use confidential mode in Gmail to protect sensitive information

How to set up out of office replies in Gmail

I want to show you how to set up your OOO replies in Gmail. It's very simple and can save you a lot of headaches.

Requirements

The only thing you need for this is a valid Gmail account. This can be from either a free or paid version of Google Workspace. Once you have that, you're almost set to hit the beach, the mountains, or just your couch.

And there you go, you've set up your out of office replies and are ready for that much-needed vacation. Enjoy.