# Outlook out-of-office weirdness

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-out-of-office-weirdness/708039>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 23, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-out-of-office-weirdness/708039 "2014-12-23T18:10:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-out-of-office-weirdness/708039/1 "2014-12-23T18:10:16Z")

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I’m experiencing Outlook out-of-office weirdness (OOOW). When my OOO messages are turned on, I don’t receive emails. I tested this by sending myself an email from my home email. I received the OOO message, but the email I sent never appeared in my work inbox. This is worrisome, because I receive some data via my email directly instead of via the data email list.

1. Is there a way to tell Outlook to accept emails even when I’m OOO?

2. Is there any way to ‘recover’ emails that I didn’t get when the OOO messages were turned on?

I’m using Microsoft Outlook Professional Plus 2010 on my work computer.

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**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2014, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-out-of-office-weirdness/708039/2 "2014-12-23T18:42:53Z")

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You can set up rules for the OOO replies that do more than simply reply. The options include deleting and moving the original message. Maybe you have something like that set up?

In the options window for Automatic Replies, there’s a Rules button at the bottom. Click that and see if there are any rules listed.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-out-of-office-weirdness/708039/3 "2014-12-23T18:50:54Z")

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The rules say:

Sent directly to me; copied to me

MOVE TO: Inbox

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-out-of-office-weirdness/708039/4 "2014-12-23T19:14:54Z")

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Any chance that’s a different inbox? In my Outlook, for example, I have 4 different inboxes: three separate email accounts plus one for local storage.

I’d get rid of that rule. If it’s the same inbox where you receive email, the rule isn’t doing anything. And if it’s a different inbox, it’s messing you up. You should be able to uncheck the rule to disable it without deleting it entirely.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2014, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/outlook-out-of-office-weirdness/708039/5 "2014-12-23T19:32:48Z")

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AFIAK, I only have one inbox.

Unchecking the rule seems to have done the trick. I turned on the OOO message and sent an email from my home address, and did receive it on my work computer.

Thanks.