Outlook displays presence information from Microsoft Teams; it does not provide the main control for manually changing that status. To change the presence shown in Outlook, open Teams, select your profile picture, select your current status, and choose a new one.
This guidance applies to Microsoft 365 work or school accounts with a qualifying subscription. Teams presence is not available in Outlook.com for personal accounts.
Change your Outlook presence status through Teams
- Open Microsoft Teams on your desktop or in a browser.
- Select your profile picture.
- Select your current status.
- Choose Available, Busy, Do not disturb, Be right back, Away, or Offline.
- Return to Outlook. The Teams presence indicator should update there.
Microsoft documents this status control for Teams desktop and web. Teams presence is reflected in Microsoft 365 applications that display it, including Outlook.
Use Teams commands to change status faster
You can enter a command in the Teams search box instead of opening the profile menu.
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| Command | Status |
|---|---|
| /available | Available |
| /busy | Busy |
| /dnd | Do not disturb |
| /brb | Be right back |
| /away | Away |
| /offline | Offline |
Type a command into the Teams search box and select the matching result. Microsoft uses the labels Appear away and Appear offline in explanatory text for the Away and Offline states.
Set a temporary presence status
Use a duration when you want Teams to reset your status automatically.
- In Teams, select your profile picture.
- Select your current status.
- Select Duration.
- Under Status, select the status you want.
- Under Reset status after, select a duration. You can choose Custom to enter a date and time.
- Select Done.
Teams determines the resulting presence based on activity, calendar information, and the computer’s state. You cannot set a duration for Available.
Cancel a temporary status
In Teams, open profile picture > current status > Reset status. Selecting a different status also cancels the current status duration.
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New Outlook and Outlook on the web can display these Teams presence states:
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| Outlook indicator | Typical meaning |
|---|---|
| Online or Available | The person is available. |
| Busy | The person is in a Teams meeting or call, or has selected Busy. |
| Do not disturb | Teams activity or calendar information can produce this state. |
| Away | The person is inactive, has locked the computer, or has selected Away. |
| Offline | The person is not signed in or has selected Offline. |
| Out of office | Out-of-office information is associated with the account or calendar. |
| Unknown | Outlook cannot retrieve a reliable presence state. |
Teams can change a manually selected status automatically. A meeting or call can produce Busy, and calendar information or Teams activity such as presenting can produce Do not disturb. Locking the computer or letting it enter idle or sleep mode can change Available to Away.
Stop Teams from switching to Away while you work outside Teams
In Teams for the web, you can allow Teams to detect activity in other tabs or applications:
- Open Teams in a browser.
- Open Settings.
- Select Notifications and Activity.
- Find Presence.
- Enable Keep my current status when I’m active outside of Teams on the web.
- When prompted, allow the browser to detect activity.
If browser permission is blocked, Teams may still mark you Away while you work outside Teams.
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An Outlook calendar item’s Show As setting controls calendar free/busy information. It can influence Teams presence, but it does not replace the Teams status selector.
In new Outlook, open Calendar, right-click an item, select Show As, and choose Busy, Free, Out of Office, or another available option. A calendar item marked Busy can affect Teams presence, while a call, meeting, presenting, lock, idle, or sleep activity can also affect the displayed state.
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What the classic Outlook online-status setting does
Classic Outlook has this option:
File > Options > People > Online status and photographs > Display online status next to name
This checkbox controls whether Outlook displays presence indicators next to names. It does not set your status to Available, Busy, Do not disturb, or another Teams state. Use Teams to select your presence status.
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Why your Outlook presence may be missing or incorrect
If Outlook shows no presence indicator or displays Status unknown, check the following:
- Confirm that Teams is installed and running.
- Make sure Teams and Outlook use the same work or school identity.
- Verify that the contact’s email address matches the address used for their Teams account.
- In classic Outlook, confirm that Teams is configured for presence integration where required.
Presence indicators are most reliable for people in the same organization. External or federated contacts may appear as Status unknown.
Account and Outlook requirements
Teams presence integration in Outlook requires a work or school account and a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription. For classic Outlook, Teams must be installed, running, and configured for presence integration. Teams presence is not available in Outlook.com for personal accounts.
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Out-of-office status can look different in Teams and Outlook
Outlook automatic replies and Teams out-of-office information can synchronize, but the displayed labels may differ. Microsoft documents a case where Teams shows Out of office while Outlook shows Away or Offline.
If the status matters to coworkers, check both your Outlook automatic-reply settings and your Teams profile rather than assuming one indicator fully represents the other.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
Can I change my Teams presence directly in Outlook 365?
Usually, no. Outlook displays Teams presence. To select Available, Busy, Do not disturb, Away, or another status, use Teams: select your profile picture, select your current status, and choose a new one.
Why does Outlook show Away when I am working?
Teams can change Available to Away when your computer is locked or enters idle or sleep mode. In Teams for the web, enable Keep my current status when I’m active outside of Teams on the web and allow the browser to detect activity if you work outside Teams.
Does changing an Outlook appointment to Free change my Teams status?
No. Show As changes the appointment’s calendar availability and can influence presence, but it does not replace the Teams status control. Other activity, such as a call, meeting, presenting, or computer lock state, can affect presence too.
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How do I reset a timed Teams status?
In Teams, select your profile picture, select your current status, and choose Reset status. Selecting another status also cancels the current duration.
Why does Outlook show Status unknown?
Teams may not be installed, running, or configured for presence integration, or Outlook and Teams may use different accounts. The contact’s email and Teams sign-in address may not match. External and federated contacts can also appear as Status unknown.
What does the classic Outlook online-status checkbox do?
The setting at File > Options > People > Online status and photographs > Display online status next to name controls whether Outlook shows presence indicators. It does not change your Teams status.
The Bottom Line
For a Microsoft 365 work or school account, change the presence shown in Outlook from Teams: profile picture > current status > choose a status. Use Duration for a timed change. Outlook calendar availability and the classic Outlook display checkbox affect related information or visibility, but neither is the primary control for manually setting Teams presence.
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