Outlook Automatic Reply Not Working? Here’s How to Fix It

Our company email isn’t sending automatic replies though it’s set to “on.” We use webmail (like Outlook) and forwarding works, but replies aren’t going out. We even tried sending emails from outside addresses to test, with no luck. Even though it says automatic replies are active when logging in, something seems to stop them from working. In other words, the error pops out, Outlook Automatic Reply Not Working and we want to fix it.

Getting the “automatic reply” function to work in your Outlook email can be tricky sometimes. This feature, also called “Out of Office,” lets you send a pre-written message to anyone who emails you while you’re away. The problem is, that it only sometimes works perfectly, and you might find it not sending replies even though it’s turned on.

Causes of Outlook Auto Reply Not Working

There are a few reasons why your “Out of Office” reply in Outlook might not work as expected. Sometimes the behind-the-scenes settings get messed up, like when hidden rules are broken or a system gets overloaded (only in Exchange 2019). There might also be a setting that blocks automatic replies from going out altogether. Don’t worry! These Outlook Automatic Reply Not Working issues can usually be fixed.

• Your automatic reply settings might be corrupted rules.
• If you use Exchange 2019, the system might be overloaded and need a moment to catch up.
• There could be a hidden setting preventing replies from going out.
• You might have reached a limit on how many automatic reply rules you can create.

To fix all the problems, follow the upcoming section to find the answers.

How to Fix Outlook Automatic Reply Not Working: 5 Solutions

Now that we know why your automatic replies might be stuck, let’s get them working again! Check out the solutions below to get your out-of-office message.

#1. Synchronize the OOF Feature

Here’s the information on configuring the automatic reply feature in Outlook, but it’s a bit technical. If you’re uncomfortable with technical steps, it might be best to contact your IT department for help.

• There are two options (pick one):
  • Enable replies: Set-MailboxAutoReplyConfiguration <identity> -AutoReplyState Enabled
  • Disable replies: Set-MailboxAutoReplyConfiguration <identity> -AutoReplyState Disabled
• Utilize MFCMapi to review the PR_00F_STATE value. Follow the below Steps to accomplish this:
  • Select Session in the main window of MFCMapi. Opt for the Logon and Display Store Table and view the mailbox.
  • Next, pick the profile you want to access. Also, scroll down to the bottom till you can view the PR_00F_STATE value.

• Reach MS Support if the PR_00F_STATE value is not expected. However, the experts can review them for the queued events (Exchange 2010 only).

#2. Delete Corrupted Rules:

The above fix will allow you to resolve the Outlook Automatic Replies Not Working. If not, follow the next solution.

• First, open MFCMapi and find your mailbox.
• After that, look for the “Inbox” and right-click it. Choose “Display Rules Table.”
• Then, you might see a rule named “MSFT: TDX OOF Rules” or an automatic reply rule. Delete it (and any other suspicious-looking rules).

#3. Delete Corrupted Templates:

• First, right-click the “Inbox” again and choose “Open Associated Contents Table.”
• After that, find the “Message Class” column and sort by it.
• Then, look for items with the message class:
  • IPM.Note.Rules.ExternalOofTemplate.Microsoft
  • IPM.Note.Rules.OofTemplate.Microsoft

• Next, delete these items.

#4. Re-enable Automatic Replies:

• Use Windows PowerShell to turn automatic replies off and then back on:
  • Disable: Set-MailboxAutoReplyConfiguration <identity> -AutoReplyState Disabled
  • Enable: Set-MailboxAutoReplyConfiguration <identity> -AutoReplyState Enabled
• Finally, check if your automatic replies are working properly now.

Remember: These steps involve technical tools. If you’re unsure, ask your IT department for help.

#5. Expand The Rules Quota:

• Sometimes, a full “rules quota” can prevent automatic replies from working. In short, you can’t create internal or external reply rules. IT experts can check the quota size with this command in Exchange Management Shell.

Check the size limit of rules.

• If the quota is less than 256 kilobytes (KB), IT admins can increase it to this limit using the following command: [increase size limit].

There might be a short delay (up to 2 hours) for the quota increase to take effect due to system caching. As a result, the above fix will help you to resolve the Auto Reply Not Working on Outlook error. Here, we have mentioned all the troubleshooting solutions to fix the issue. But somehow, you can’t get rid of the error. It simply indicates that your PST file is not accessible. You need to repair your PST file to resolve the problem. To fix the corruption from your PST files, use the Cigati PST Repair Tool. It will effortlessly fix the corrupted files without hampering the data.

Conclusion

There are a few reasons why your Outlook Automatic Reply Not Working. It could be a glitch in the settings, the system is overloaded (only in Exchange 2019), or a hidden setting blocking replies. If you’re not comfortable with technical steps, it’s best to reach out to your IT department for help. Moreover, we have mentioned some solutions you can try, like deleting corrupted rules and templates or increasing the rules quota.

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