Have you ever experienced being unable to change your availability from “away” to “available” or “busy” while using Microsoft Teams? This can be quite frustrating when trying to communicate with coworkers or attend important meetings. In this article, I will provide some helpful tips and tricks based on my own experience and knowledge on how to overcome the “away” status in Microsoft Teams.
Understanding the Away Status
Before diving into the solutions, let’s first understand how the “away” status works in Microsoft Teams. By default, Teams automatically sets your status to “away” when it detects no activity on your computer or mobile device for a certain period of time. This is meant to indicate that you are not actively using Teams or available for immediate communication.
While the away status is useful in certain situations, it can be problematic when it gets stuck and doesn’t accurately reflect your availability. Fortunately, there are a few methods you can try to bypass this issue.
Method 1: Manual Availability Changes
The simplest way to beat the away status is by manually changing your availability in Microsoft Teams. To do this, follow these steps:
- Click on your profile picture or initials in the top right corner of Teams.
- Select “Set status message” to open the status options.
- Choose the desired status option, such as “Available” or “Busy.”
By manually selecting your availability, you can override the automatic away status and ensure that your colleagues know your current status accurately.
Method 2: Adjusting Your Presence Sensing Settings
If the manual method doesn’t work or you want a more permanent solution, you can try adjusting your presence sensing settings in Teams. Here’s how:
- Click on your profile picture or initials in the top right corner of Teams.
- Select “Settings” to open the Teams settings.
- Navigate to the “General” tab.
- Scroll down to the “Presence” section.
- Toggle the switch to disable “Show me as away when my status has been inactive for this many minutes.”
By disabling the presence sensing feature, Microsoft Teams will no longer automatically set your status to away based on inactivity. This gives you more control over your availability and prevents the away status from interfering with your communication.
Method 3: Regular Activity
If you prefer to keep the presence sensing feature enabled but want to prevent the away status from activating too quickly, you can try engaging in regular activity on your computer or mobile device. This can include periodically clicking or tapping on your Teams app, sending messages, or actively participating in meetings.
By maintaining consistent activity, you can trick Microsoft Teams into recognizing your presence and avoiding the away status. Just remember to balance this with your actual work and avoid unnecessary disruptions.
Conclusion
Dealing with Microsoft Teams’ stuck away status can be a nuisance, but with the right strategies, you can regain control over your availability and ensure effective communication with your colleagues. Whether it’s manually adjusting your status, tweaking your presence sensing settings, or engaging in regular activity, these methods will help you stay connected and productive in Teams. Give them a try and say goodbye to the away status woes!