Overview
This article explains how presence status in Outlook is derived and how it can be managed. Presence status helps you understand the availability of your colleagues, making communication more efficient.
Automatic Presence Status Updates
Outlook can automatically update your presence status based on your calendar events and activity:
- Calendar Integration: If you have an event marked as "Out of Office" in your Outlook calendar, your status will automatically show as "Away" or "Out of Office."
- Activity Detection: If you are inactive for a certain period, your status may change to "Away" or "Inactive."
- Automatically from Work Hours: Your work hours listed within Outlook will default to typical hours 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. To make changes, launch Outlook > View Settings >Calendar > Work Hours and location
Viewing Presence Status
When sending an email, you can see the recipient's presence status next to their name. This feature helps you understand their availability and plan your communication accordingly.
Manually Setting Presence Status
In the new Outlook app, you can manage your presence status through Microsoft Teams, which integrates with Outlook. Follow these steps:
- Open Microsoft Teams.
- Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
- Select your current status (e.g., "Busy," "Away").
- Choose "Available" from the list of options.
Your status in Outlook will reflect the changes made in Teams
