Set up an automatic vacation reply

If you're going to be away or if you won't be able to access your Windows Live Hotmail account for awhile, you can set up an automatic vacation reply for your account. Anybody who sends you an e-mail message while you're away will automatically receive your vacation reply.

To set up an automatic vacation reply:

Sign in to the Windows Live Hotmail website with your Windows Live ID.
In the upper-right corner of the page, click Options, and then click More options.
Under Manage your account, click Send automated vacation replies.
Click Send vacation replies to people who e-mail you.
In the text box, type the reply that you want people to receive while you're away, and then click Save.

Notes

To stop using the vacation reply, return to the vacation reply settings, click Don't send any vacation replies, and then click Save.
Because replying to junk e-mail can frequently lead to even more junk e-mail, make sure that you select the Only reply to your contacts check box if you don't want to send automated vacation replies to junk e-mail senders.
If you have your vacation reply turned on, when you sign in to your account, you receive a message to remind you that your vacation reply is still turned on.