Gmail’s vacation responder allows you to automatically reply to incoming emails when you are out of the office or unable to respond promptly.

1. Open Gmail Settings:
   • Go to gmail.com.
   • Click the Gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner.
   • Click the “See all settings” button.
2. Navigate to Vacation Responder:
   • Ensure you are on the “General” tab (this is usually the default).
   • Scroll down until you find the “Vacation responder” section.
3. Turn Vacation Responder On:
   • Select the option “Vacation responder on.”
4. Set Dates:
   • First day: Choose the date you want the auto-reply to start.
   • Last day (Optional): If you know your return date, tick the “Last day” box and select the end date. The vacation responder will turn off automatically after this date. If you leave this unticked, you will need to manually turn off the vacation responder upon your return.
5. Compose Your Message:
   • Subject: Enter a clear subject line for your auto-reply (e.g., “Out of Office,” “Away until [Date],” “Limited Email Access”).
   • Message: Write the body of your out-of-office message. Include key information such as your return date and who to contact for urgent matters if applicable.
6. Optional Settings (Control Who Receives the Auto-Reply):
   • “Only send a response to people in my Contacts”: Tick this box if you only want people already in your contacts list to receive the auto-reply.
   • “Only send a response to people in [Your Organisation Name]”: Tick this box if you only want people within your Google Workspace organisation to receive the auto-reply. You can tick both if desired.

   Note: The vacation responder typically sends a reply only once to each person who emails you during your absence (usually within a 4-day period if they email you multiple times).

7. Save Changes:
   • Scroll to the very bottom of the “General” settings page and click “Save Changes.”
   • A yellow banner will usually appear at the top of your Gmail interface while the vacation responder is active. You can click “End now” on this banner to turn off the responder early if you return sooner than expected.