What Not to Include in Your Out of Office Email Reply
The details you should leave out of your out of office email reply - privacy, oversharing, and what contacts actually need.
Most people set up an out-of-office reply without thinking too hard about what they put in it. You copy something from a template, add your dates, and click save. But out-of-office messages can share more than you intend - and some of what gets shared can cause real problems. Here is what to leave out and why.
Too Much Personal Information
This is the most common mistake. People include details that feel normal to share with colleagues but are actually visible to anyone who emails them - including strangers, vendors, marketers, and in some cases, bad actors who use this information.
Saying "I am on vacation in Barcelona until the 15th" tells anyone who emails you that your home is unoccupied. Saying "I am at a medical appointment and will be back this afternoon" shares health information you may not want widely known. Saying "I am attending the Acme Corp conference in Chicago" reveals your location and professional movements.
- Do not say where you are going or where you are
- Do not explain why you are away (vacation, medical, family)
- Do not give specific dates if a general timeframe works
- Do not mention that your home will be empty
- Do not share conference or event names unless your role requires it
Too Many Alternative Contacts
It feels helpful to list every person who can cover for you while you are away. But giving three or four names with different responsibilities creates confusion. The person emailing you now has to figure out which contact applies to their situation - and they may just give up.
| What People Write | The Problem | What to Write Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Sarah for billing, Tom for support, Alex for partnerships | Confusing, requires sender to categorize their own request | One contact for urgent matters |
| Email my personal address for emergencies | Undermines the whole point of being away | Set a clear urgency threshold instead |
| Call my cell: 555-123-4567 | Your number goes to everyone who emails you | Share your number only in direct messages |
| CC my manager on anything urgent | Puts burden on sender, looks disorganized | Have your manager monitor if needed |
Vague or Misleading Return Information
Two types of date problems show up in out-of-office replies. The first is being too vague: "I am away and will reply when I return" gives the sender no useful information. They do not know if you will be back tomorrow or in three weeks.
The second problem is being too precise when you cannot guarantee it. Saying "I will reply by 9am on Monday" sets an expectation. If you land late, deal with a delay, or need time to get through your inbox, you have already broken a commitment to every person who emailed you.
- Give a clear return date range - "I am out until around the 12th"
- Add a buffer - if you return Monday, say you will reply by Wednesday
- Never promise specific reply times unless you are certain you can keep them
- Update your message if your plans change
- Set the message to expire so it does not run past your return
Casual or Funny Messages in Professional Settings
Humor in out-of-office messages has its place. Some workplaces have a culture where a witty reply is perfectly fine. But many do not. The problem is that your out-of-office message goes to everyone - new clients, senior contacts, people you have never met. A joke that works with your team can land badly with a prospective partner or an executive at another company.
If you are not certain your entire professional network would find it funny, keep it neutral. There is no upside to a clever message but there is real downside if it hits wrong with the wrong person.
- Skip jokes unless your industry culture clearly supports them
- Do not use memes or references that only your team will understand
- Keep the language professional even if the message is warm
- Avoid complaints about workload or inbox size - it reads as unprofessional
What a Good Out-of-Office Message Looks Like
The formula is simple. Acknowledge that you received the email. State your return date with a buffer. Name one contact for urgent issues - first name and email only, no direct phone number. That is it. Keep it to three sentences if you can.
For example: "Thanks for your email. I am out of the office until approximately June 12th and will reply when I return. For urgent matters, please contact Jamie at [email protected]."
That message gives the sender everything they need without oversharing, without confusion, and without risking your privacy or your professional image.
If you want to sharpen your general email reply habits beyond the out-of-office, our guide on how to write better email replies is worth a read. For mistakes people make in everyday replies, see how to reduce email overload for strategies that prevent the pile-up that makes out-of-office messages necessary in the first place. And if you want help drafting a clean, professional message quickly, try our free email reply generator.
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