Change your status in Outlook from the top-right corner

Your status in Outlook tells people whether you are available, busy, in a meeting, or away. You change it by clicking your profile picture or name in the top-right corner of the window, then selecting the status you want from the menu that appears. The exact steps differ slightly between Outlook on the web and the desktop app, but both take less than a second once you know where to look.

Outlook shows your status to anyone in your organization who can see your calendar or contact card. When you set your status to "In a meeting" or "Do not disturb", Outlook can also block incoming calls and send automatic replies to people trying to reach you. This is useful when you need uninterrupted time but do not want to turn off notifications entirely.

Key Takeaways

  • Click your profile picture in the top-right corner of Outlook and select a status from the menu to change how others see your availability.
  • Outlook offers preset statuses like Available, Busy, In a Meeting, Do Not Disturb, and Away, plus the option to add a custom message.
  • Your status appears on your contact card and in the Outlook directory, so people can see it before they try to reach you.
  • You can set Outlook to automatically change your status to "In a Meeting" when you have a calendar event, or manually set it whenever you need.

Change status in Outlook on the web

Open Outlook in your web browser and look at the top-right corner of the screen. You will see your profile picture or initials in a small circle. Click on it, and a menu will drop down showing your current status and a list of other statuses to choose from.

Select the status you want — Available, Busy, In a Meeting, Do Not Disturb, or Away. If none of these match what you want to communicate, click "Set a status message" to type something custom, like "Working from home" or "In training all day". Your new status takes effect when ready and is visible to everyone in your organization.

Change status in Outlook desktop app (Windows and Mac)

In the Outlook desktop process, your profile picture appears in the top-right corner of the window, next to your name. Click on it to open a small menu with your current status and available options.

Select the status you want from the list. If you want to add a custom message — for example, "Lunch until 1 PM" — click "Set a status message" and type what you want others to see. The change happens right away. On Mac, the menu may appear slightly different, but the location and function are the same.

Set a custom status message

A custom status message lets you give more detail than the preset statuses alone. Instead of just "Away", you can say "Away until Friday" or "Working on the Johnson project". Click your profile picture, select "Set a status message", and type what you want to appear on your contact card.

You can also set how long the message should stay active. Some versions of Outlook let you choose a time — for example, "Clear this status in 2 hours" — so the message disappears automatically. If your version does not offer this, you will need to clear the message manually when you are done.

Automatically set status based on calendar events

Outlook can change your status to "In a Meeting" automatically when you have an event on your calendar. This saves you from having to update your status every time you join a meeting. To turn this on, open Outlook settings and look for the "Status" or "Presence" section under Privacy or General settings.

The exact location depends on whether you use Outlook on the web or the desktop app. In Outlook on the web, go to Settings (the gear icon) and search for "status" in the search box. In the desktop app, go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Privacy Options. Look for an option that says something like "Show as In a Meeting when my calendar shows a meeting" and turn it on. Once enabled, Outlook will handle the status changes for you.

What others see when you change your status

When you change your status, it appears on your contact card — the small window that pops up when someone hovers over your name in an email or message. It also shows in the Outlook directory and in shared calendars if your organization has set up those features. People can see your status before they send you a message or call, which helps them decide whether to interrupt you.

If you set your status to "Do Not Disturb", some versions of Outlook will automatically send a message to people who try to call you, letting them know you are not available. This happens without you having to set up a separate auto-reply. The exact behavior depends on your organization's Outlook setup and which app version you use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my status turn off notifications?

No. Changing your status only tells others that you are busy — it does not silence your computer or stop notifications from arriving. If you want to block notifications, you need to turn on "Focus information" (Windows) or "Do Not Disturb" (Mac) separately, or use Outlook's "Do Not Disturb" status combined with your device settings.

Can I set a status that expires automatically?

Some versions of Outlook let you set an expiration time when you create a custom status message. In Outlook on the web, you may see an option to "Clear this status in" followed by a time option. In the desktop app, this feature may not be available, and you will need to manually clear the status when you are done.

What happens to my status if I close Outlook?

Your status stays the same until you change it or until Outlook automatically updates it based on your calendar. If you close the app and do not open it again, your status will remain visible to others, so remember to set it to "Away" if you will be gone for a while.

Can my manager see my status?

Yes. Your status is visible to anyone in your organization who has permission to see your contact card or calendar. Your manager can see your status the same way anyone else can — by looking at your contact card or the directory.

Is there a difference between "Busy" and "In a Meeting"?

Both tell others you are not when ready available, but "In a Meeting" is more specific and suggests you should not be interrupted. Some organizations use these statuses differently, so check with your workplace about what each one means in your context.