Setting a Microsoft Teams status message is a good way to keep your coworkers informed of where you are and what you’re doing. Regularly updating your status message can avoid endless “what are you working on” messages, while also providing an opportunity to get creative if you’re stepping away from your desk.
It’s easy to set your status message. Using the Microsoft Teams web client or desktop app, click your profile picture in the top-right. Next, click the “Set status message” menu option.
In the popup which appears, type in your new status message. You’re limited to 280 characters – the same as a tweet – and are able to @-mention your other team members.
The “Show when people message me” checkbox will prominently display your status message whenever somebody sends you a private message, or @-mentions you in chat. This can be helpful to ensure everyone’s aware of what you’re doing, before they try to reach you.
You can set the duration of your status message using the options in the “Clear status message after” dropdown. By default, your status will reset automatically at the end of the day. Select the time period you’d like to use and then hit the “Done” button to apply your new status.
That’s it. Any Teams user will be able to see your status by hovering over your profile picture wherever it’s displayed in Teams. To edit your status message, click your own profile picture in the top-right again. You’ll see your current status displayed – hover over it to reveal Edit and Delete buttons.
