Change your status in Outlook from the top of your window

Your status in Outlook appears next to your name and tells people whether you are available, busy, or away. To change it, click on your profile picture or initials in the top-right corner of Outlook, then select the status you want from the menu that appears. The options are usually Available, Busy, Do Not Disturb, Away, and Appear Away — each one signals something different to people trying to reach you.

The status you pick shows up in Teams, Outlook, and other Microsoft 365 apps at the same time. If you set yourself to Do Not Disturb, people can still send you messages, but they will see a notification that you have turned off alerts. Away and Appear Away both signal you are not at your desk, but Appear Away lets you stay active without showing it.

Your status resets automatically in some cases. If you have been inactive for a certain amount of time — usually 5 to 10 minutes — Outlook may change your status from Available to Away without asking. You can turn off this automatic change in your settings if you prefer to control it yourself.

Key Takeaways

  • Click your profile picture in the top-right corner of Outlook and select a status from the dropdown menu to change how you appear to others.
  • Do Not Disturb stops notifications but still lets people message you, while Away signals you are not at your desk.
  • Outlook automatically changes your status to Away after a period of inactivity unless you disable this setting.
  • Your status syncs across Teams, Outlook, and other Microsoft 365 apps, so changing it in one place updates everywhere.
  • You can set a custom message alongside your status to explain why you are unavailable or when you will return.

Where to find the status menu in different Outlook versions

In Outlook on the web, your profile picture sits in the top-right corner next to the settings gear. Click it and you will see your name, email, and a row of status options. In Outlook for Windows or Mac, the same menu appears in the same location — the very top-right of the window. The steps are identical across all versions.

If you use Outlook on your phone or tablet, the menu may look slightly different. On mobile, swipe to the left or tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) to find your profile section, then tap your name or picture to access status options. The available statuses are the same, but the layout changes to fit a smaller screen.

Set a custom message with your status

When you click your profile picture and select a status, you often see a field that says "Set a status message" or "What is your status?" Click that field and type a message explaining why you are unavailable — for example, "In a meeting until 3 PM" or "Working from home today." This message appears next to your status icon when people hover over your name or look at your contact card.

Custom messages are useful because they tell people more than a status alone can. Instead of just seeing that you are Busy, someone can read that you are busy because you are on a call. You can add an emoji to your message if you want — Outlook will suggest some when you type, or you can paste one yourself. The message stays visible until you change it or delete it.

Turn off automatic status changes

By default, Outlook watches how long you have been inactive and changes your status to Away automatically. If you want to stay marked as Available even when you step away from your desk, you can disable this feature. In Outlook on the web, go to Settings (the gear icon), then select View all Outlook settings. Look for the Privacy or Status section and find the option that says something like "Show me as away when I am inactive."

In Outlook for Windows, open File, then Options, then Trust Center, then Trust Center Settings. Look for the Privacy section and uncheck the box next to "Display an 'away' status." On Mac, the path is Outlook, then Preferences, then General, then find the status or presence settings. Once you turn off automatic changes, your status will stay whatever you set it to until you manually change it.

What each status means and when to use it

Available means you are at your desk and ready to talk or answer messages right away. Use this when you are working and can respond quickly. Busy tells people you are working on something but can still be interrupted if it is important — messages will come through normally, and you will see notifications. Do Not Disturb silences notifications so you can focus, but people can still send you messages; they will just see a note that you have turned off alerts.

Away signals that you have stepped away from your desk and may not see messages right away. Appear Away is the same as Away to other people, but it does not trigger the automatic inactivity timer — you stay marked as Away even if you are actively using your computer. Use Appear Away when you want to discourage interruptions but need to keep working without your status changing back to Available.

Sync your status across Teams and other Microsoft 365 apps

When you change your status in Outlook, it updates automatically in Teams, Skype for Business, and other Microsoft 365 applications. You do not have to set your status separately in each app. If you set yourself to Do Not Disturb in Outlook, anyone trying to reach you in Teams will see the same status.

The reverse is also true — if you change your status in Teams, it updates in Outlook at the same time. This unified status system means you only have to manage one setting, and it works across all the apps you use for work communication. The sync happens when ready, so there is no delay between changing your status in one app and seeing it reflected in another.

Troubleshoot status problems

If your status is not changing when you click it, try signing out of Outlook completely and signing back in. Close the app entirely, wait a few seconds, and reopen it. If you are using Outlook on the web, try clearing your browser cache or opening Outlook in a private or incognito window to rule out cached data causing the problem.

If your status keeps changing back to Away automatically even though you turned off that setting, check that the setting actually saved. Go back to Settings and confirm the box is unchecked. Sometimes the change does not stick if you did not click Save or explore. If the problem continues, sign out and back in again, or contact your IT department if you are using Outlook through a work account — they may have policies that override your personal settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can people see my status message if I set one?

Yes. Your custom status message appears next to your name when people look at your contact card, hover over your name in an email, or search for you in the directory. It is visible to anyone in your organization who can see your contact information, so avoid putting sensitive details in your status message.

What happens to my status when I close Outlook?

When you close Outlook, your status usually changes to Away or Offline after a few minutes, depending on your settings and whether you are signed into other Microsoft 365 apps. If you are still signed into Teams, your status may stay as whatever you set it to in Teams. Signing out completely will mark you as offline across all apps.

Can I schedule my status to change automatically at a certain time?

Outlook does not have a built-in scheduler for status changes. You have to change your status manually each time. However, if you use Teams alongside Outlook, Teams has a "Schedule" feature that lets you set your status to change at specific times — for example, automatically switching to Do Not Disturb at 5 PM every day.

Does my status show in emails I send?

No. Your status does not appear in the body of emails you send. It only shows up when people look at your contact card, hover over your name in their inbox, or see you in a directory or chat. The person receiving your email will not see your status unless they click on your name to view your profile.

What is the difference between Away and Appear Away?

Away means you have been inactive for a set amount of time and Outlook changed your status automatically. Appear Away is a status you set yourself, and it stays that way until you change it — it does not flip back to Available when you start using your computer again. Use Appear Away when you want to signal you are not available but do not want your status changing without your control.