How we present ourselves online and communicate our presence has never been more crucial. Your status on Microsoft Teams isn’t just a digital indicator—it’s a reflection of your professional appearance. 

 

Whether you’re actively collaborating or momentarily away, knowing how to keep Teams status green and maintaining it that way can make a lot of difference in how you’re perceived by your colleagues in different situations. This guide goes beyond the basics, offering innovative strategies to keep you connected and ensure your status remains green and your productivity uninterrupted.

 

What Does a Green Microsoft Teams Status Indicate? 

Before we discuss how to keep Teams status green, let’s first understand how it works. The green status in Microsoft Teams indicates that a user is currently active and engaging with the Teams platform, whether on desktop, web, or mobile.

 

teams status settings

 

Microsoft Teams maintains the green status when the “online status” is active, and here’s how it functions:

 

  • For the desktop version of Microsoft Teams, your status will remain green as long as your computer is not locked, idle, or turned off.

 

  • On the mobile app, the green status will be displayed as long as you are actively using the app. However, if the app is closed or running in the background, your status will change accordingly.

 

  • Typically, when your device goes idle or enters sleep mode, your Microsoft Teams status shifts from green (active) to yellow (away).

 

In cases when someone tries to message or video call you, they will see a yellow indicator signaling that you are currently unavailable.

The above situation is not ideal for many organizations. Thus, you’re often required to keep your computer active to maintain your Teams status as green and available. The latter brings us to learning about Teams status settings and seeing what we can do to never cause difficulties at work again. 

 

Here are all the necessary statuses and their meanings you should remember: 

Available (Green) Currently active in Teams with no upcoming events.
Busy Allows notifications to pop up while focused on a task. This automatically changes to In a meeting or In a call (Busy), unless you set it to Do not disturb.
Do Not Disturb There are no notifications allowed since the user is engaged in a task or presenting a screen
Be Right Back This status is manually set by the user when they are temporarily away.
Appear Away When you go idle or inactive, the green active status becomes this, which means you’re available but not responsive.
Appear Offline This indicates that you are signed out of Teams but will still receive messaging notifications.

 

Having said all that, let’s see how how to keep Teams status green in different scenarios and devices. 

 

Take Full Advantage of Teams Status Settings

Knowing how to keep Teams status green starts with learning how Microsoft or any other system works where you use your Teams app. So, let’s explore the details that matter most.

 

How to Keep Teams Status Green When Away

Sometimes you need to step away from your desk, but you still want your Teams status to show that you’re around. There are a few simple tricks to make this happen. For instance, if you’re on a desktop, adjusting your computer’s sleep settings is key.

 

Teams will change your status if your computer goes idle or into sleep mode, switching you to ‘Away.’

 

To avoid this, go into your system settings and adjust the sleep mode to “Never” or extend the idle time. You can also use apps that simulate mouse movements to keep your computer active. These small adjustments help keep your status green, even when you’re taking a break.

 

For Windows users:

  1. Open Settings from the Start menu.
  2. Go to System > Power & sleep.
  3. Under Screen and Sleep, set both options to “Never” or choose a longer duration that suits your needs.

 

 

For Mac users:

  1. Click on the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
  2. Select Battery (for battery power) or Power Adapter (when plugged in).
  3. Adjust the “Turn display off after” slider to your preferred time or set it to “Never” for continuous activity.
  4. For extra control, check the box Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off in the Power Adapter settings. 

how to keep your teams status green on Mac

 

How to Keep Teams Status Green on iPhone

To keep your Teams status green on an iPhone, make sure the app stays open and active. Teams updates your status based on whether the app is in the foreground, so if you minimize or close it, your status might change to ‘Away’ after a few minutes.

 

How to Change How Long Your Screen Stays on iPhone

If you want to keep your iPhone screen on longer, changing the auto-lock settings is easy. Here’s how:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap on Display & Brightness.
  3. Select Auto-Lock.
  4. Choose a longer time frame or select “Never” to keep your screen on indefinitely.

iPhone auto-lock

 

This way, your screen stays on, and the Teams app is active, helping you maintain your green status.

How to Keep Teams Status Green on Laptop

Keeping your Teams status green on a laptop is all about managing your device’s power settings.

 

For Windows users:

  1. Open Settings from the Start menu.
  2. Go to System > Power & sleep.
  3. Under Screen and Sleep, set both to “Never” or extend the duration.

 

How to Change Sleep Settings on Mac

For Mac users, there’s a different flow of actions: 

  1. Click the Apple menu and go to System Settings.
  2. Select Battery (for battery power) or Power Adapter (when plugged in).
  3. Adjust the “Turn display off after” slider to your preferred duration or set it to “Never.”

 

These steps will help keep your Mac’s screen on, preventing your Teams status from changing to ‘Away,’ so you remain visible to your team.

 

Clarity in Your Microsoft Teams Communication Every Time With Krisp

To truly make the most of your Microsoft Teams meetings, integrating Krisp is a game-changer.

 

Here’s how Krisp complements Teams, feature by feature, ensuring that your meetings are not just productive but exceptional.

 

Crystal-Clear Audio with AI-Powered Noise Cancellation

Background noise can be a major distraction during meetings, whether you’re working from a busy office or your kitchen table. Krisp’s AI-powered noise cancellation filters out unwanted sounds, ensuring that only your voice comes through. This means you can communicate clearly, without interruptions, no matter where you are.

 

Seamless Meeting Transcriptions

Taking notes during meetings can distract you from fully engaging in the conversation. Krisp’s real-time transcription feature automatically converts your spoken words into accurate, searchable text. This allows you to focus on the discussion at hand, knowing that every important detail is being captured for you to review later.

 

Automatic Meeting Summaries

After a long meeting, sifting through notes to identify key takeaways can be tedious. Krisp’s AI meeting assistant steps in to summarize your conversations, highlighting action items and critical points. This not only saves you time but also ensures that you never miss an important follow-up.

 

 

Improved Focus With Distraction-Free Meetings

With Krisp’s noise cancellation and transcription working in tandem, you can maintain complete focus during your Teams meetings. You’ll spend less time worrying about background noise or taking notes and more time participating actively in the conversation.

 

Krisp helps you stay present so you can contribute more effectively.

 

Integrating Krisp into your Teams environment means you’re not just attending meetings—you’re refining them. Krisp empowers you to lead with clarity, stay focused, and ensure that every meeting is both productive and efficient.

 

 

 

 

Additional Tips on How to Keep Teams Status Green

We previously discussed a great deal on how you can set up your Teams status settings to help you stay active on the platform. However, there are even more tactics you can apply. Those are:

 

Host a Private Teams Meeting to Stay Active

One effective way to prevent your Teams status from switching to “Away” is by hosting a private meeting just for yourself. Simply schedule a meeting without inviting anyone else, then join it. 

 

As long as you’re in this meeting, Teams will show your status as “Busy,” keeping you visible to your colleagues. This trick works well when you need to step away from your desk but still want to appear active.

 

Keep Your Status Green With a Long Video

Playing a long video, like a YouTube playlist, can be a clever way to keep your status green. While the video plays, your computer stays active, preventing your screen from going idle and your status from changing. This method is especially useful when you need to maintain an active appearance during low-activity times.

 

Set a Status Message for Transparency

If you know you’ll be away or multitasking, setting a status message in Teams can be a proactive way to manage expectations. 

 

This message can explain why your status might change or why you’re temporarily unavailable, helping maintain communication and avoid misunderstandings. It’s a small but effective way to stay professional and transparent with your team.

 

Conclusion

Maintaining an active Microsoft Teams status is crucial for staying connected and engaged in your professional environment. By now, you must have gained a good understanding of how to keep Teams status green across different devices. 

 

If you implement strategies like adjusting sleep settings, hosting private meetings, or even playing long videos, you can ensure your status remains green and visible. With these tips and tools, you’ll be well-equipped to stay productive and present in 2024 and beyond.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long until Teams goes yellow?
Microsoft Teams changes your status to “Away” (yellow) after about 5 minutes of inactivity. This occurs when your device is idle, such as when your computer’s screen goes to sleep or your phone locks.

How to keep Teams status active without software?
To keep your Teams status active without using third-party software, you can:

  • Adjust sleep settings: Prevent your computer or phone from going to sleep by setting the sleep or idle timers to longer durations.
  • Ensure that the Teams app is active in the foreground on your device.

What does it mean when your messages turn green?
In Microsoft Teams, if your messages are showing green, it typically indicates that you are currently active and available. This green status is reflected in your messages to show that you are online and responsive.

How to lock YouTube screen on iPhone?
To lock the YouTube screen on your iPhone:

  1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access and turn it on.
  2. Open the YouTube app and start playing a video.
  3. Triple-click the side button (or home button on older iPhones) to enable Guided Access.
  4. Select Options, turn off touch, and tap Start to lock the screen.

This prevents accidental touches while watching a video.

How to Change Idle Time on Teams
Currently, Microsoft Teams doesn’t allow you to manually adjust the idle time directly in the app. However, you can influence how long your status stays green by managing your computer’s idle and sleep settings.