How to Set Up an Auto-Reply in Plesk

The auto-reply feature in Plesk automatically sends a response to anyone who emails you. This is useful when you are out of the office, on holiday, or otherwise unavailable. You can set a start and end date so the auto-reply stops automatically.

Setting Up an Auto-Reply

1. Log in to Plesk.
2. Go to Mail.
3. Click the email address you want to configure.
4. Go to the Auto-Reply tab.
5. Select Switch on auto-reply.
6. Fill in the auto-reply settings:
   • Auto-reply message subject: Enter a subject line (e.g., "Out of Office: Returning 15 April").
   • Message format: Choose Plain text (recommended for compatibility) or HTML.
   • Message text: Write your auto-reply message. Include:
     • The dates you are away.
     • When you expect to return.
     • An alternative contact person (if applicable).
   • Forward to: Optionally forward incoming messages to another email address while the auto-reply is active.
   • Send an automatic response to a unique email address no more than: Set how many times per day the auto-reply is sent to the same sender (default: 1). This prevents spamming frequent senders.
   • Switch off auto-reply on: Set an end date for the auto-reply to stop automatically.
7. Click OK.

Disabling the Auto-Reply

1. Go to Mail → click the email address → Auto-Reply tab.
2. Clear Switch on auto-reply.
3. Click OK.

Alternatively, if you set an end date, the auto-reply will disable itself automatically.

Important Notes

• The auto-reply is sent per sender per day by default — a sender who emails you multiple times in one day will only receive one auto-reply.
• Always set an end date if you know when you will return. This prevents the auto-reply from running indefinitely.
• Do not set up both a Plesk auto-reply and a Roundcube vacation message for the same email address — this will cause duplicate responses.

Troubleshooting

Auto-reply is not sending:

• Verify the auto-reply toggle is switched on and you clicked OK.
• Check that the end date has not already passed.

Sender receives multiple auto-replies:

• Check the "no more than X times per day" setting — it may be set too high.