How Do I Stop Microsoft Teams From Showing Away After 5 Minutes? Complete Guide to Prevent Teams from Showing Away When Idle

Do you find it frustrating when Microsoft Teams shows you as “away” after just a few minutes of inactivity? This default setting can be especially disruptive if you’re simply focused on a task or away from the screen briefly.

In this guide, we’ll cover clear, practical ways to keep your status “active” in Teams. With easy-to-follow steps, you can prevent the unwanted “away” switch and stay visible when it matters most.

How Do I Stop Microsoft Teams From Showing Away After 5 Minutes?

Microsoft Teams switches your status to “away” after around 5 minutes of inactivity. To prevent this, you can set a custom duration for “available” or “busy” to keep your status active longer.

To adjust your status duration:

• Open Teams Settings: Select your profile picture in the top-right corner of Microsoft Teams.
• Set Status Duration: Under “Availability” or “Status,” choose “Available” and set a custom duration for the time you need.
• Sync Across Devices: Using Teams on both desktop and mobile can help maintain a steady “active” status, even if your desktop goes idle.

By making these adjustments, you can remain “available” for extended periods, ensuring your team sees you as active.

How to Keep Microsoft Teams Active

Microsoft Teams automatically marks you as “away” if it detects no recent activity, but there are ways to maintain an “active” status without constantly refreshing.

• Custom Status Duration: Select “available” and set a specific time frame to show as active, especially helpful for longer sessions.
• Frequent Status Updates: Manually update your status as “available” every few hours if needed, especially when working remotely or multitasking.
• Using the Mobile App: The Teams mobile app keeps you connected and active even when away from your desktop, ensuring colleagues can see your availability.

These strategies are quick to set up and give you more control over your Teams status without needing to stay at your desk.

Customizing Teams Idle Settings

The idle settings in Microsoft Teams determine when your status switches to “away” after inactivity. Here’s how to manage these settings effectively:

• Set a Custom Availability Time: Within Teams, access “Set Duration” for your status, choosing a specific duration to stay “available.”
• Do Not Disturb: If you need uninterrupted time but want to avoid an “away” status, selecting “Do Not Disturb” will prevent automatic switching.
• PC Display and Power Settings: Adjusting your computer’s sleep and display settings (in Windows or macOS) can prevent your device from going idle, which keeps Teams active.

These adjustments are especially useful for maintaining a consistent active status during long work sessions.

Microsoft Teams Away Status Tips

The “away” status in Microsoft Teams appears after around 5 minutes of inactivity. Here are a few more options to keep Teams from showing “away”:

• Schedule Status Blocks: By setting up specific availability blocks in Teams, you can avoid the “away” appearance when you’re on task.
• Mobile Notifications: Enable notifications on the Teams mobile app to stay connected, even when you’re away from your desk, reducing the chances of your status changing to “away.”
• Custom Status Message: Adding a brief message like “Working on a project, but available for urgent questions” lets colleagues know you’re reachable even when inactive.

These options help communicate your availability and keep your status from auto-switching to “away” when you’re focused on a task.

Ready to try these solutions? Experiment with these tips to keep your Teams status active and enhance your remote work productivity. For more Microsoft Teams and productivity insights, check out our other resources.