How to Set Out of Office in Microsoft Teams

Setting Out of Office Status in Teams

Teams has its own OOO feature that integrates directly with your Outlook out of office settings. Here is how to set it up directly in Teams using two different methods.

Method 1: Quick Status Message

1. Click your profile picture in the top right corner of Teams.
2. Click Set status message from the dropdown.
3. Type your out of office message in the text field.
4. Check Show when people message me so they see it before sending.
5. Set Clear after to your return date and time.
6. Click Done to activate.

Method 2: Full OOO from Settings

1. Click the three dots (...) next to your profile picture at the top.
2. Select Settings from the menu.
3. Go to the General tab.
4. Scroll down to the Out of Office section.
5. Click Schedule to open the configuration panel.
6. Toggle Turn on automatic replies.
7. Write your out of office message and set the schedule dates.
8. Click Save to activate.

Method 2 is more powerful because it syncs your out of office message across both Teams and Outlook simultaneously. This means colleagues see your OOO status whether they check Teams chat or send you an email.

Teams and Outlook OOO Sync Explained

If you use Microsoft 365, your Teams and Outlook OOO settings are deeply connected:

• Setting OOO in Outlook automatically updates your Teams status to show "Out of Office" with the purple badge
• Setting OOO in Teams triggers Outlook automatic replies to anyone who emails you
• Your Teams status shows a distinctive purple "Out of Office" badge next to your avatar
• People see your OOO message banner before they send you a Teams chat message

This bidirectional sync means you only need to set up your OOO in one place. We recommend using the Teams Settings method (Method 2 above) since it configures both platforms at once, saving you time.

What People See When You Are OOO in Teams

Chat Messages

When someone starts a new chat with you or sends a message in an existing conversation, Teams displays a prominent banner showing your OOO status message. They can still send the message, but they know not to expect an immediate response from you.

Meeting Invites

If someone tries to schedule a meeting during your OOO period, Teams shows your out of office status in the scheduling assistant. If you also blocked your calendar (which you should), the time slots appear as unavailable, discouraging meeting requests.

Channel Mentions and Tags

When someone @mentions you in a channel post, they will see your OOO indicator next to your name. This helps them know to tag someone else for time-sensitive items instead of waiting for your response.

Presence Indicator

Your presence dot changes from green (available) to a purple OOO icon. This is visible everywhere your name appears in Teams — contacts list, org chart, search results, and channel member lists.

Teams OOO Best Practices

Set a Clear Duration

Always set an end date for your Teams OOO status. The "Clear after" option lets you choose a specific duration or date. This prevents your status from showing as OOO days after you have returned, which looks unprofessional.

Include an Alternate Contact

Your Teams status message has a character limit, but make sure to include who to contact for urgent matters. You can @mention a colleague directly in the status message, which makes it easy for people to click through.

Block Your Calendar

In addition to setting your Teams status, create an all-day "Out of Office" event on your calendar for every day you are away. This prevents meeting invites and ensures the scheduling assistant shows you as completely unavailable.

Set Up from Mobile if Needed

The Teams mobile app also supports OOO status. Tap your profile picture, then "Set status message" to configure it from your phone. This is useful if you forget to set it before leaving the office. For Outlook mobile, see our Outlook app OOO guide.

Troubleshooting Teams OOO Issues

OOO Not Syncing with Outlook

If your Teams OOO is not syncing with Outlook, verify that both apps are connected to the same Microsoft 365 account. Personal Microsoft accounts and some older Exchange configurations may not support bidirectional sync. Try setting OOO directly in Outlook instead.

Status Message Disappeared Early

If your status message cleared before your return date, check the "Clear after" setting. Make sure you set a specific date rather than a relative duration like "4 hours" which could have expired. Re-set the message with the correct end date.

People Not Seeing the OOO Banner

The OOO banner only appears when someone starts a new chat or opens your existing conversation. It does not appear in channel posts or group chats retroactively. Make sure "Show when people message me" is checked in your status message settings.

Beyond Status Messages: Smart Email Management

A Teams OOO status handles chat availability, and your Outlook auto-reply handles email responses. But neither actually manages or organizes the incoming messages. They pile up while you are away, creating a massive inbox backlog.

AI email tools like Monssot bridge this gap. The AI agent continuously sorts and prioritizes your inbox while you are away. Urgent emails get flagged and categorized. Newsletters get archived automatically. When you return, you see organized boards instead of inbox chaos.

Check our other out of office guides for platform-specific instructions: Outlook desktop, Outlook mobile, and Gmail. For templates, see OOO message examples and maternity leave messages.

For broader email productivity tips, explore email management strategies, inbox zero method, and email overload solutions.

Explore all guides in this series: out of office guide, Outlook OOO setup, Outlook app OOO, Gmail OOO setup, OOO examples, OOO email writing, maternity leave OOO.