Setting Up an Autoresponder in cPanel

This article explains how to configure an automatic reply for a cPanel-hosted email account. Use an autoresponder to send a pre-written message to anyone who emails the address — useful for vacation replies, out-of-office notices, or confirming receipt of messages sent to a shared inbox.

About autoresponders

An autoresponder is a message that cPanel sends automatically in reply to incoming mail for a specific address. You control the subject, body, sender name, and how often a sender receives an auto-reply. Autoresponders can run continuously or only between a start and stop date that you choose.

Before you begin

• cPanel login credentials. You need access through the Exact Hosting portal or your domain's /cpanel URL.
• The mailbox you want to respond from. The email address must already exist on your cPanel account.
• The message you want to send. Draft the subject line and body text in advance.
• Start and stop dates (optional). If the autoresponder should run for a limited time, decide on the dates and times.

Step 1: Open Autoresponders

1. Log in to cPanel through the Exact Hosting portal or by going to yourdomain.tld/cpanel.
2. In the cPanel home screen, locate the Email section.
3. Click Autoresponders.

Step 2: Start a new autoresponder

1. If you host more than one domain, select the correct domain from the Managing dropdown.
2. Click Add Autoresponder.

Step 3: Configure the response

Fill in the autoresponder form:

1. In the Interval field, enter the number of hours cPanel should wait before sending another auto-reply to the same sender.
2. In the Email field, enter the local part of the mailbox that should auto-reply.
3. From the Domain dropdown, confirm the domain.
4. In the From field, enter the name that should appear as the sender of the auto-reply.
5. In the Subject field, enter the subject line for the auto-reply.
6. If your message body contains HTML formatting, select the HTML checkbox.
7. In the Body text box, type the message you want to send.

About the interval setting

The interval prevents senders from getting an auto-reply to every message they send in a short period. For example, if you set the interval to 24 and a sender emails you at 8:00 AM Monday, cPanel sends the auto-reply immediately. If that sender emails again at 10:00 AM the same day, cPanel does not send another reply until at least 8:00 AM Tuesday.

Using tags in the body

You can include tags in the message body that cPanel replaces with information from the incoming email. Wrap tag names in percent signs (%).

Step 4: Set the schedule

1. Under Start, choose Immediately to begin sending auto-replies right away, or choose Custom to pick a future start date and time.
2. Under Stop, choose Never to leave the autoresponder running indefinitely, or choose Custom to set an end date and time.

Tip: For vacation responders, set both a custom start and stop time so the autoresponder turns off automatically when you return.

Step 5: Save the autoresponder

Click Create (or Create/Modify) to save the autoresponder. cPanel begins sending the auto-reply at the start time you selected.

Deleting an autoresponder

1. Return to the main Autoresponders page.
2. Locate the autoresponder you want to remove.
3. Click Delete, then confirm the deletion in the dialog that appears.

Next steps

• Test the autoresponder. Send a message to the mailbox from an external address to confirm the auto-reply arrives as expected.
• Combine with a forwarder. Forward incoming mail to a colleague while the autoresponder acknowledges receipt to the sender.
• Update the message before extended time away. Edit the existing autoresponder rather than creating a new one to avoid duplicate replies.

Questions? Contact Exact Hosting Support.