Microsoft Teams Status Not Updating? 10 Fixes to Try

Are you unable to update your status in Microsoft Teams? Do you always appear “Offline” or “Away” in Teams? The troubleshooting recommendations in this article should help you fix the issue.

1. Wait 3-5 Minutes

Teams changes your status to “Away” if your computer is inactive for five minutes or more. Your Teams status should automatically change when you resume using your computer.

If it doesn’t, Microsoft recommends waiting at least three minutes for Teams to update your status. Reset your status (see the next section) if nothing changes after 5 minutes.

2. Reset and Change Status

A temporary glitch with the Microsoft Teams app might prevent you from changing your status. If your Microsoft Teams status is stuck, perform a “status reset” and try changing your status again.

1. Open the Microsoft Teams app and select your profile picture/icon in the top-right corner.
2. Select the current status below your account name or email address.

3. Select the Reset Status option.

Select a new status option and check if Microsoft Teams updates your status.

3. Check Microsoft Teams Service Health

The Microsoft Teams app might fail to update your status if the Teams is experiencing server-related downtime.

Visit the Microsoft Service Health or Office Service Health portals in your web browser and check if Microsoft Teams is up and running.

A green checkmark icon next to “Teams (Customer)” signifies that the service is up and running, while a red X icon indicates issues with Teams.

Server-related downtime or outage are often fixed in a flash. Contact Microsoft Support if the issue persists for hours or days.

4. Force Quit and Restart Microsoft Teams

Force-quitting and reopening the Teams app fixed some Teams users’ status issues in this Reddit thread.

Force Quit Microsoft Teams via Windows Task Manager

Follow the steps below to force close Teams on your Windows PC.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch the Windows Task Manager.
2. Select Microsoft Teams and select the End task button on the top menu.

Alternatively, right-click Microsoft Teams and select End task on the context menu.

You can also force-quit Microsoft Teams from the Windows Settings menu.

Force Quit Teams via Windows Settings Menu

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select the three-dot menu icon next to Microsoft Teams, and select Advanced options.

2. Scroll to the “Terminate” section and select the Terminate button to force-close Microsoft Teams.

Force Quit Microsoft Teams in macOS

1. Press Command + Option + Esc to open the “Force Quit Applications” window.
2. Select Microsoft Teams and select the Force Quit button.

3. Select Force Quit again on the confirmation prompt.

5. Update Microsoft Teams

Updating the Microsoft Teams app on your device can fix bugs causing some features to malfunction.

Update Microsoft Teams for Home or Small Business (Windows)

Follow the steps below to update the “Home or Small Business” version of Microsoft Teams.

1. Open the Microsoft Teams app on your computer, select the three-dot icon next to the search bar, and select Settings.

2. Select About Teams in the bottom-left corner.

Teams will automatically install an update if you have an outdated app version.

Update Microsoft Teams for Work or School (Windows)

Follow the steps below to update the “Work or School” version of Microsoft Teams.

1. Open Microsoft Teams, select the three-dot icon next to the profile picture/icon, and select Check for updates.

2. Wait while Microsoft Teams downloads and installs the latest app version in the background.

3. Select Please refresh now to complete the app update.

Update Microsoft Teams on macOS

1. Open Microsoft Teams, select the three-dot icon next to your profile picture, and select Check for updates.

Microsoft Teams will automatically update itself in the background.

2. Wait for a “We’ve updated the app” success message and select Please refresh now to install the update.

Try changing your status when the app comes back on. Clear the Microsoft Teams cache if the problem persists.

6. Clear Microsoft Teams Cache

Microsoft Teams builds up cache files to help the app run smoothly. These cache files sometimes get corrupt, thereby causing Microsoft Teams to malfunction.

Clearing Microsoft Teams cache files refreshes the app and allows it to update your status correctly again.

Clear Microsoft Teams Cache in Windows

Close Microsoft Teams and follow these steps to delete its cache files.

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Windows Run box.
2. Paste %appdata%\Microsoft\Teams in the Run box and select OK.

3. Press Ctrl + A and select the bin icon on the top menu to delete all files in the folder.

Close the File Explorer, reopen Teams, and try updating your status again.

Clear Microsoft Teams Cache on Mac

Close or force-quit Microsoft Teams and follow the steps below to clear the app’s cache on your Mac.

1. Open Finder, select Go on the menu bar, and select Go to Folder.

2. Paste ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Teams in the dialog box and press Return.

3. Press Command + A to select all items in the folder. Afterward, right-click the selection and select Move to Bin.

Reopen Teams after clearing its cache files and check if you can update your status.

7. Repair and Reset Microsoft Teams

Repair Microsoft Teams on your Windows PC if the app still won’t update your status.

Terminate or force-close Microsoft Teams and follow the steps below to repair

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select the three-dot menu icon next to Microsoft Teams and select Advanced options.

In Windows 10, go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features and select the menu icon next to Microsoft Teams.

2. Scroll to the “Reset” section and select the Repair button.

Restart Microsoft Teams and try updating your status when you see a checkmark icon next to the “Repair” button.

Reset Microsoft Teams if the app still won’t update your status after the repair operation. Note that resetting Teams will delete the app’s data and sign out your account.

3. Return to the Microsoft Teams “Advanced options” page (see step #1) and select the Reset button in the “Reset” section.
4. Select Reset again on the pop-up to proceed.

5. Reopen Teams when the reset operation is complete. Sign in to your Teams account and check if you can update your status.

8. De-register Teams as Chat App for Office

Teams can automatically change your status if it’s your computer’s default chat app for Office applications. Follow the steps below to de-register Teams as the chat app for Office.

1. Open Teams, select the three-dot icon in the top-right corner, and select Settings.

2. In the “General” tab, uncheck Register Teams as the chat app for Office.

Close and reopen the application and check if Teams stops changing your status automatically.

9. Change Coexistence Mode in Microsoft Teams Admin Center

If you recently upgraded your organization or team from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams, the app (i.e., Teams) defaults to an “Islands” coexistence mode.

The Islands coexistence mode allows users in your organization to use Skype for Business and Teams simultaneously. A downside of the Islands mode, however, is that it sometimes messes with Teams status updates.

If users in your organization can’t update their status, change the coexistence mode to “Teams only” in the Microsoft Teams admin center.

Open the Microsoft Teams admin center and go to Teams > Teams upgrade settings. Select Teams only in the “Coexistence mode” drop-down menu and select Save.

10. Change Your Status on Teams for Web or Mobile

Try changing your status in the Teams mobile or web apps if the desktop clients don’t update your status.

Change Status on Teams Mobile Apps

1. Open the Teams mobile app (Android or iOS) and tap your profile picture in the top-left corner.
2. Tap your current status (below your profile name or email) and select your preferred status.

Change Status on Teams for Web

1. Visit teams.microsoft.com in your browser and sign in with your Microsoft account to access the Teams web app.
2. Select your profile picture in the top-right corner.
3. Select the current status and change it to your preference.

Fix Microsoft Teams Status Updates

Reboot your computer, uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Teams, or contact Microsoft Support if Teams still won’t update your status.