Microsoft Teams is widely used by corporations and institutions for communication and collaboration. The application offers an activity feature called the Activity Status, which indicates your availability to your colleagues or team members. If you prefer to keep your status as “Available” at all times and prevent it from showing as “Away,” this article will guide you through the necessary steps to achieve that.
How to Prevent Microsoft Teams from Showing Away Status
By default, Microsoft Teams changes your status to “Away” if you are inactive for more than 5 minutes or if you minimize the application or put your system to sleep. However, there are methods to maintain your availability even when you are away. Here’s how you can prevent Microsoft Teams from showing the “Away” status.
Manually Change Your Status
You can override the automatic status change by manually selecting your desired status. Follow these steps to change your status:
- Open the Microsoft Teams application.
- Click on your profile icon located on the right side of the screen.
- Choose the availability status you want to display.
Use Split-Screen for Multitasking
Minimizing the Microsoft Teams application sets your status to “Away.” To multitask without changing your status, use the split-screen feature. Here’s how:
- Drag the title bar of Microsoft Teams to the left or right corner of your screen until you see a translucent rectangle.
- Release the window and select the other application you want to open.
- Enjoy multitasking while keeping your activity status intact.
Set a Custom Status Message
You can inform your teammates about your availability by setting a custom status message. Follow these instructions:
- Open Microsoft Teams.
- Click on your profile icon.
- From the drop-down menu, select “Set status message”.
- Type a custom message of fewer than 280 characters.
- Choose “Never” under the “Clear status message after” option.
Adjust Screen Sleep Settings
When your screen goes to sleep, Microsoft Teams automatically sets your status to “Away”. You can adjust the sleep time to prevent this. Here’s how:
- Open the Settings application from the Start menu.
- Scroll down to “Power & Battery” under the “System” section and select it.
- Locate the “Screen and Sleep” option and adjust the sleep screen time according to your preference.
Keep Your System Active
If your keyboard and mouse are idle for a long time, your status may switch to “Away”. To keep your system active, you can use third-party applications like Jiggler or Caffeine. Alternatively, you can play a video in the background or put a lightweight object on the shift key of your keyboard to trick the system into thinking you are actively using it.
Host a Private Meeting
Initiating a private meeting on Microsoft Teams can help maintain your activity status as “Available”. Follow these steps:
- Open the Microsoft Teams app.
- Select the “Calendar” option from the left panel.
- Click on “New Meeting” from the menu.
- Enter the meeting details without inviting anyone.
- Save the meeting and join it through the Calendar option.
- Set your activity status to “Available” by clicking on your profile icon.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How long does it take for Microsoft Teams to show the “Away” status?
If a user is inactive or away from the keyboard for 5 minutes, the status on Microsoft Teams changes to “Away”.
How can I set the duration for a status message on Teams
To set the duration for a status message on Teams, follow these steps:
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- Open Microsoft Teams.
- Click on the profile icon at the top-right corner.
- Select “Set status message.”
- Enter your message and choose the desired duration under “Clear status message after”.
Conclusion
By following these steps, you can prevent Microsoft Teams from showing the “Away” status and maintain your availability to colleagues and team members. Whether through manual status changes, multitasking techniques, custom status messages, or adjusting system settings, you can ensure that your activity status reflects your availability accurately. Enjoy uninterrupted communication and collaboration on Microsoft Teams!
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