Microsoft Is Bringing Automatic Template Replies to New Outlook in December

Microsoft is bringing automatic email replies using saved templates and inbox rules to New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web in December 2026. The feature will let users respond to incoming messages automatically when they meet specific conditions.

According to Microsoft’s updated MC1505607 advisory, the company plans to introduce the functionality before the end of the year. Microsoft first announced plans for rule-based automatic replies in Outlook in July 2026.

New Outlook will automatically reply to emails using saved templates

The new feature will allow users to create inbox rules that trigger automatic responses using predefined email templates.

For example, users could automatically respond to emails from specific senders, send standard replies when messages meet certain conditions, or assign different templates to different types of incoming emails.

This could help both personal and business users handle repetitive messages without manually writing the same responses.

Outlook Classic already supports template-based automatic replies through inbox rules, but New Outlook and Outlook on the web currently lack this functionality.

Microsoft plans to release the feature in December

Microsoft expects to roll out automatic template replies in December 2026, although the schedule could change.

The company has not yet explained how users will configure the new rules, but the process could resemble the existing functionality in Outlook Classic.

The update is part of Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to improve New Outlook and close the feature gap with the classic application.

Other recent improvements include the unified inbox for New Outlook, the return of Send Availability for easier meeting scheduling, and a fix for missing Copilot buttons in Outlook.

Via Neowin