Outlook Will Get Rule-Based Auto-Replies for Smarter Email Responses

Microsoft is working on a new Outlook feature that will make automatic replies more flexible than standard out-of-office messages.

According to Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 567318, Outlook for Windows will get rule-based auto-replies, allowing users to send automatic responses only when specific conditions are met.

Outlook auto-replies are getting more flexible

Traditional automatic replies in Outlook usually work across a set time period and apply broadly to incoming emails.

The upcoming rule-based system takes a more targeted approach. Users will be able to create rules that decide when Outlook should send an automatic response.

That means users could set up different replies for different types of emails instead of sending the same message to everyone.

Users will be able to choose reply templates

Microsoft says the feature will let users automatically reply to incoming messages using a selected template.

Users will create or choose a saved reply template, set the conditions for when it should apply, and let Outlook handle the response automatically.

Some details are still unclear

Microsoft has not fully explained how the rule conditions will work.

Since the feature uses rules, it may support common email filters such as sender, subject, keywords, or domain-based conditions, but Microsoft has not confirmed the full list yet.

The roadmap entry also creates some uncertainty around platform support. The feature is listed for Outlook for Windows, but the entry appears to mention Outlook for the web as well. Availability on Android, iOS, and other Outlook versions remains unclear for now.

Rollout is planned for September 2026

The rule-based auto-reply feature is currently listed as in development.

Microsoft says the global rollout should begin in September 2026, although rollout dates can still change before release.

The update comes as Microsoft continues improving the new Outlook experience after earlier criticism from users.

Recently, the new Outlook has also received Quick Parts support and improved PST file handling. However, it still trails classic Outlook in some areas, including notification performance.

Via Neowin