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Outlook can show a contact’s Microsoft Teams presence while you read or write email. The indicator may show Available, Busy, Do not disturb, Away, Offline, or another presence state.
The setup depends on which Outlook you use. In classic Outlook for Windows, you can turn the display on or off from Outlook Options. New Outlook and Outlook on the web display Teams presence automatically when the account and organization support it; they do not use the classic Outlook setting.
Before you start
Teams presence in Outlook requires a work or school account with a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription. Microsoft supports the feature in:
- Outlook for Microsoft 365
- Outlook 2024, 2021, 2019, and 2016
- New Outlook for Windows
- Outlook on the web with a work or school account
It is not available in Outlook.com for personal Microsoft accounts. Outlook on the web and Outlook.com are different services in this context: the supported web version is the Microsoft 365 business or education mailbox opened in a browser.
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You also need to be signed in to Teams with the account associated with Outlook. Outlook gets the presence information from Teams; it does not create a separate Outlook status.
How to display Teams status in classic Outlook
Use these steps in the traditional desktop version of Outlook for Windows:
- Open Outlook.
- Select File in the upper-left corner.
- Select Options.
- Open the People tab.
- Under Online status and photographs, select Display online status next to name.
- Select OK.
After enabling the option, presence indicators can appear in several places:
- Next to the sender’s name when you open a message
- Next to names on the To and Cc lines
- In the Outlook Contacts area
To hide the indicators later, return to File > Options > People, clear Display online status next to name, and select OK.
Which contacts show a status in classic Outlook?
Classic Outlook can show indicators for contacts that have an instant-messaging address in the contact’s IM address field. Microsoft also states that online status can appear for people using Teams even when they are not in your instant-messaging contact list.
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How to view status in New Outlook for Windows
New Outlook does not use the classic File > Options > People switch for this feature. When Teams presence is available, indicators appear while you are:
- Composing an email
- Replying to an email
- Reading an email
Depending on the message, the indicator may appear for the sender, recipients, and other people included in the conversation. Hover over or select a person’s name to inspect the available contact and presence details.
If you cannot find the classic Outlook options, check that you are actually using classic Outlook. New Outlook has a different interface and does not expose the same File > Options settings. Microsoft’s instructions for the two versions are separate because the controls are different.
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How to view status in Outlook on the web
Sign in to your organization’s Microsoft 365 mailbox through a browser and open Outlook on the web. Teams presence can appear beside people while you read a message, compose a message, or add recipients.
There is no documented Outlook on the web setting equivalent to classic Outlook’s Display online status next to name checkbox. If presence is missing, check the account, Teams sign-in, and organization requirements rather than looking for the classic Outlook menu.
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What the Outlook status indicators mean
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Online or Available | The person is active and no current calendar activity, such as a meeting or phone call, is being shown. |
| Busy | The person is in a Teams meeting or on a phone call. |
| Do not disturb | Outlook calendar information or Teams activity such as meetings or presenting can set this state; it stops on-screen notifications. |
| Away | Teams automatically sets this when the person’s computer is locked, idle, or sleeping. |
| Offline | The person is not signed in to Teams. |
| Out of office | The person is out of the office and unavailable. |
| Unknown | The person is no longer present in the organization’s directory. |
A green or Available indicator is not a guarantee that someone can answer immediately. A person can change status manually, enter a meeting, lock their computer, start presenting, or become idle. Treat presence as a guide rather than a firm response-time promise.
How to change the status Outlook displays
Change the status in Teams, not in Outlook’s presence-display setting. The Outlook setting only controls whether classic Outlook shows indicators.
- Open Microsoft Teams.
- Select your profile picture at the top right.
- Select your current status.
- Choose a different status, such as Available, Busy, Do not disturb, or Away.
You can also enter a status command in the Teams search box:
| Command | Status |
|---|---|
| /available | Available |
| /busy | Busy |
| /dnd | Do not disturb |
| /brb | Be right back |
| /away | Away |
| /offline | Offline |
Type the command in the search box and submit it. Teams then applies the corresponding presence state, which Outlook can display when synchronization is working.
Set a status duration so it resets automatically
A manually selected status may remain longer than you intended. Use a duration when you want Teams to return to normal automatically:
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- 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.
- For a specific period, select Custom and enter the date and time.
- Select Done.
To cancel the duration, select a new status or choose Profile picture > current status > Reset status.
Teams can also change status automatically. Available may become Away when the computer is locked, idle, or asleep. Meetings and calls can produce Busy, while screen sharing can produce Do not disturb. Be right back is not set automatically. Calendar information, activity, and the computer’s state can also affect a status duration.
Stop Teams for the web from changing you to Away
Teams in a browser has a specific failure mode: it may mark you Away when you are active in another browser tab or application. To reduce this behavior:
- Open Teams on the web.
- Select Settings and activity or the equivalent settings menu.
- Open Settings.
- Select Notifications and Activity.
- Open Presence.
- Enable Keep my current status when I’m active outside of Teams on the web.
Your browser may ask permission to detect activity in other tabs or applications. Select Allow if you want this detection to work. Selecting Block prevents the detection, so Teams may still switch you to Away while you work elsewhere.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Control Do not disturb while presenting
Teams automatically enables Do not disturb while presenting by default. If you want notifications while sharing your screen:
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- In Teams, select Settings and more.
- Select Settings.
- Open Privacy.
- Clear Set my status to Do not disturb when I’m sharing my screen.
This changes presenting behavior in Teams. Outlook will reflect the resulting Teams presence when the account and Outlook version support presence integration.
What to check when status is missing
- Confirm the account type. A personal Outlook.com account does not support Teams presence in Outlook. Use a qualifying work or school Microsoft 365 account.
- Check the Outlook version. In classic Outlook, enable File > Options > People > Display online status next to name. Do not use that path as a New Outlook instruction.
- Sign in to Teams. Outlook needs Teams presence information from the associated account.
- Check the person’s identity. A duplicate contact, external address, missing directory entry, or incorrect IM address can prevent the expected indicator from appearing.
- Allow time for synchronization. A recently changed Teams status may not appear in Outlook immediately. Reopen Outlook or refresh Outlook on the web after confirming the Teams status.
- Check for organization restrictions. Microsoft 365 administrators can control services and account features. If the feature is missing for multiple users, contact your organization’s Microsoft 365 administrator.
FAQ
Can I turn on Teams status in New Outlook?
New Outlook displays Teams status when the account and organization support it, but Microsoft does not document the classic Outlook checkbox as a New Outlook setting. The File > Options > People path applies to classic Outlook.
Does Teams status work in Outlook.com?
No. Teams status is unavailable in Outlook.com personal accounts. It is supported in Outlook on the web when you use a qualifying work or school Microsoft 365 account.
Why does Outlook show someone as Away when they are working?
Teams can set Away when the computer is locked, idle, or asleep. Teams for the web can also switch to Away when you are active in another tab or application unless you enable the setting to keep your current status outside Teams on the web.
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Can I change a person’s Outlook status from Outlook?
No. The status comes from Teams. The person must change it in Teams using their profile menu, a status command, or a status duration.
Does a green status mean someone is definitely available?
No. Available means Teams sees the person as active without current calendar activity being shown. The person may still be busy, away from the keyboard, or unable to respond.
The Bottom Line
For classic Outlook, enable File > Options > People > Display online status next to name. New Outlook and Outlook on the web show Teams presence automatically when supported, with no equivalent Outlook checkbox. If the indicator is wrong or missing, check the Microsoft 365 account, Teams sign-in, version of Outlook, browser presence settings, and automatic status rules.
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