Where to find your status setting in Outlook

Your status in Outlook appears next to your name in the top-left corner of the desktop app, or in the top-right corner of Outlook on the web. To change it, click on your profile picture or name in that location. A menu will open showing your current status and a list of options you can select from.

The status options Outlook offers are: Available, Busy, Do Not Disturb, Away, Offline, and Out of Office. Each one signals something different to people trying to reach you — Available means you are at your desk and can respond, while Do Not Disturb tells others not to interrupt you even if you are online.

Key Takeaways

  • Click your profile picture or name in the top corner of Outlook to open the status menu and select a new status.
  • Outlook automatically sets your status to Away after 5 minutes of inactivity, and back to Available when you return.
  • Do Not Disturb silences notifications and tells others you cannot be interrupted, while Busy still allows notifications through.
  • Out of Office status lets you set an automatic reply message that goes to everyone who emails you while you are gone.
  • Status changes sync across Outlook on the web, the desktop app, and Teams if your organization uses both.

The difference between Busy, Do Not Disturb, and Away

Busy and Do Not Disturb both tell people you are occupied, but they work differently. When you set your status to Busy, your calendar shows you are in a meeting or working, but Outlook still sends notifications to your computer and phone. People can still reach you if they need something urgent.

Do Not Disturb silences all notifications and tells others not to interrupt you. Outlook will not alert you to new messages, meeting requests, or calls while this status is active. Away is automatic — Outlook switches you to Away after 5 minutes without keyboard or mouse activity, and returns you to Available when you move your mouse or type again.

How to set an automatic reply with Out of Office status

Out of Office status is meant for when you are traveling or taking time off. To set it up, click your profile picture, select Out of Office, and then choose "Edit status message." Type the message you want people to see when they email you — something like "I am out of the office until Monday and will respond when I return."

Outlook will send this message automatically to anyone who emails you while your status is set to Out of Office. The message goes out once per person, not to every email they send, so your inbox will not fill with duplicate replies. You can set an end date for the Out of Office status, and Outlook will automatically switch you back to Available on that day.

Why your status changes automatically

Outlook tracks your activity on your computer. If you do not use your keyboard or mouse for 5 minutes, Outlook assumes you have stepped away and changes your status to Away. This happens whether you set it manually or not. When you return and start working again, Outlook switches you back to Available.

This automatic behavior can be useful if you forget to update your status, but it can also cause problems if you are reading something without typing. If you need to stay marked as Available while you are away from your desk, set your status to Do Not Disturb instead — it will not change automatically.

Status settings in Outlook on the web versus the desktop app

The process is the same in both versions. In Outlook on the web, your profile picture appears in the top-right corner. Click it and you will see the same status options as the desktop app. Changes you make in one version sync to the other, so if you set your status to Away in the web version, it will show as Away in the desktop app within a few seconds.

If your organization uses Microsoft Teams alongside Outlook, your status syncs between both apps as well. Setting yourself to Do Not Disturb in Outlook will also set you to Do Not Disturb in Teams, and vice versa. This keeps your availability consistent across all your work tools.

Custom status messages and how to use them

Beyond the standard status options, you can add a custom message to explain what you are doing. Click your profile picture, select "Edit status message," and type something specific like "In a meeting until 2 PM" or "Focused work — checking email at 3 PM." This message appears next to your status when others look at your card or try to schedule a meeting with you.

Custom messages are optional and separate from your status. You can have a custom message while your status is Available, or while it is Do Not Disturb. The message disappears after 24 hours unless you set it again, so it is useful for temporary situations rather than all-day status changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my status show in my emails?

No. Your status only appears to people looking at your contact card, your profile, or trying to schedule a meeting with you. It does not show in the emails you send or in your mailbox. Only people in your organization can see your status — external contacts cannot.

What happens to my status if I close Outlook?

If you close the Outlook desktop app, your status will change to Offline after a few minutes. If you are using Outlook on the web and close your browser, the same thing happens. Your status returns to whatever you set it to when you open Outlook again.

Can I set my status to something other than the options Outlook gives me?

The standard status options — Available, Busy, Do Not Disturb, Away, Offline, and Out of Office — are the only choices Outlook provides. However, you can add a custom message to any status to give more detail about what you are doing or when you will be back.

Why does my status keep changing to Away when I am still working?

Outlook sets you to Away after 5 minutes of no keyboard or mouse activity. If you are reading something without typing, Outlook thinks you have left your desk. To stay marked as Available while you work, manually set your status to Do Not Disturb, which will not change automatically.