Out of Office

[robgreene]

Anyone else wish Apple would add a 2022-worthy "Out of Office" reply for Mail. Setting up "rules" that could wind up sending an out of office reply to every message already in my inbox if not set up right is so antiquated. This is the sort of feature that Focus Modes would pair beautifully with.

If you agree, would you mind clicking on this link to submit the Feature Request directly to Apple with me?
https://www.apple.com/feedback/mail.html

 

[BrianBaughn]

It would seem to me a proper "Out of Office" reply would be set up at the server. The only email client that I know attains this is Outlook for Windows when using a properly configured Exchange account. Not sure if the macOS version of Outlook actually sets this at the Exchange server.

If you're talking about iCloud mail the best thing they have is an "Auto-Reply" rule set up at the server. I suppose the sender will get that reply for every email they send…which isn't great. Exchange only sends the response once to a sender. Gmail's only sends it once a day.

 

[NoBoMac]

iCloud will send once every 24 hours.

Gmail has vacation responder as well: once every four days. Can also turn it on via iOS app.

But, agree, it's really a server thing as the client programs are not really doing the receiving/sending, they are more a tool to act on the emails before handing them off to the server.

ADD: big hole for Mail.app side, what if the Mac is off? Getting emails and not notifying senders that you're off-line vs server able to handle as they come in.

 

[triptolemus]

As stated, this is server function, not a mail client function.

 

[HDFan]

Setting up "rules" that could wind up sending an out of office reply to every message already in my inbox

If a rule is set to send OOF message to all incoming messages that would include sending it to SPAM messages. Not a great idea as then they know that it is a valid address and can use and share your email address with other spammers.

 

[robgreene]

It would seem to me a proper "Out of Office" reply would be set up at the server. The only email client that I know attains this is Outlook for Windows when using a properly configured Exchange account. Not sure if the macOS version of Outlook actually sets this at the Exchange server.

If you're talking about iCloud mail the best thing they have is an "Auto-Reply" rule set up at the server. I suppose the sender will get that reply for every email they send…which isn't great. Exchange only sends the response once to a sender. Gmail's only sends it once a day.

I get that this "technically" takes place at the server level. But Apple is all about making things "just work" - and in the case of an out of office reply, that should mean being able to turn on an auto reply at the APP level - no ORDINARY user wants to have to get in to things at a server level just to set up an auto reply.

If we can sync our contacts, keychains, calendars, and mailboxes to servers... Apple should be able, in 2022, to allow an out of office reply to be created through the Mail App that syncs with mail servers.

Moreover, once an Out of Office Reply has been created in Mail, I should be able to turn on my "Vacation" Focus Setting and have this Out of Office Reply automatically kick in. If my phone can send out an auto reply that I'm driving to anyone who texts me with a Focus Mode, I should be able to auto reply that I'm out of office via email with a Focus Mode as well.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I get that this "technically" takes place at the server level. But Apple is all about making things "just work" - and in the case of an out of office reply, that should mean being able to turn on an auto reply at the APP level - no ORDINARY user wants to have to get in to things at a server level just to set up an auto reply.

If we can sync our contacts, keychains, calendars, and mailboxes to servers... Apple should be able, in 2022, to allow an out of office reply to be created through the Mail App that syncs with mail servers.

Moreover, once an Out of Office Reply has been created in Mail, I should be able to turn on my "Vacation" Focus Setting and have this Out of Office Reply automatically kick in. If my phone can send out an auto reply that I'm driving to anyone who texts me with a Focus Mode, I should be able to auto reply that I'm out of office via email with a Focus Mode as well.

It could be done… as long as you’re using iCloud as your mail server. If not, it’s a pipe dream.

 

[BrianBaughn]

The "it just works" thing is quoted a lot around here in complaints and a lot of the time is a valid complaint. However, there is no computer OS that does what you want here without specifically purchased extras.

Email protocols weren't invented by Apple and they can't dictate what all the providers in the world do.

As FreakinEurekan alluded to…it might be possible Apple could somehow add this to the iCloud mail service and the macOS Mail app (it wouldn't work with any other email provider, though). However, iCloud mail is already lacking a lot of features that other providers have and I wouldn't be counting on it.

 

[robgreene]

Isn't that exactly what Apple recently added to Mail? The ability to host mail from a custom domain via iCloud?

Use Custom Email Domain with iCloud Mail - Apple Support

When you subscribe to iCloud+, you can use a custom domain name that you already own to personalize your iCloud email address, or you can purchase a new domain.

support.apple.com

 

[BrianBaughn]

Isn't that exactly what Apple recently added to Mail? The ability to host mail from a custom domain via iCloud?

Use Custom Email Domain with iCloud Mail - Apple Support

When you subscribe to iCloud+, you can use a custom domain name that you already own to personalize your iCloud email address, or you can purchase a new domain.

support.apple.com

Hosting an domain email address is a completely different thing than creating a protocol allowing the macOS Mail app to set out-of-office replies at the server.

 

[robgreene]

Hosting an domain email address is a completely different thing than creating a protocol allowing the macOS Mail app to set out-of-office replies at the server.

But if Apple is hosting domain email addresses on their mail servers, would that not allow for tighter integration with the app?

Also, I feel like you're severely underestimating technological advancements of the past 4 decades. We're talking about a company that is working on a car with no steering wheel or brakes. To label an out of office reply impossible seems a little bit shortsighted.

 

[triptolemus]

But if Apple is hosting domain email addresses on their mail servers, would that not allow for tighter integration with the app?

It should, yes. Outlook can do this easily with Exchange, Outlook.com, Hotmail, and O365 accounts. Even the macOS version of Outlook can handle it. It cannot handle OOO for Gmail, Yahoo, or IMAP accounts. For these, you have to log into the web UI to set it up.

The fact that you can't does suck, I have to agree with you. OOO is a basic function of any business email account. That said, I don't know anyone who uses iCloud email. But it can be done in the web UI...