Set Status options in Skype for Business
Applies ToSkype for Business Online operated by 21Vianet Skype for Business Skype for Business Basic Skype for Business Online Skype for Business Online operated by 21Vianet - admin centre

Use the Status options window to specify how, and to whom, your status is displayed in Skype for Business.

Set your options for Inactive and Away status changes

When you’ve been inactive on your computer, Skype for Business automatically changes your status. If you haven’t moved your mouse or taken a keyboard action on your computer for a specified period of time, Skype for Business displays a yellow status indicator and the word “Inactive.” After your status has been “Inactive” for a specified period of additional time, Skype for Business continues to show the yellow status indicator and displays the word “Away.” Five minutes is the default period for first "Inactive" then "Away," but you can specify a longer (or shorter) times for either or both, if you want to.

  1. Open Status options, and, next to Show me as Inactive when my computer has been idle for this many minutes, click the up or down arrows to specify how long Skype for Business should wait before changing your status to Inactive. The maximum interval of time you can enter is 360 minutes.

  2. Next to Change my status from Inactive to Away after this many minutes, click the up or down arrows to specify how long Skype for Business should wait before changing your status to Away. The maximum interval of time you can enter is 360 minutes.

Specify who can see your presence status

By default, everyone except Blocked Contacts can see your presence status. You can change this in the Status options window by choosing one of the following:

  • I want everyone to be able to see my presence regardless of system settings (override default settings)

  • I want the system administrator to decide—currently everyone can see my presence but this could change in the future

Your organization may have enabled Privacy Mode in Skype for Business. If this is the case, you will see the following options instead of the previous ones. You can use these options to choose whether to limit visibility of your presence information to only those people whom you’ve added to your Contacts list:

  • I want everyone to be able to see my presence

  • I only want people in my Contacts list to see my presence

The presence states in Skype for Business are pre-set and can't be customized or added to. If you want to give your contacts more details about where you are or what you're doing, you can write a personal note at the top of the Skype for Business main window.

Set Do Not Disturb status automatically whenever you are presenting

You can set up Skype for Business to automatically block distracting communications whenever you are sharing content or giving a presentation with your Skype for Business-enabled computer. If you enable this feature, Skype for Business will change your status to Presenting whenever you share your screen or duplicate your display in projection mode. Instant messages from your coworkers will be blocked and anyone who views your status will know what you are doing and that you are not to be disturbed.

To enable this feature, select the check boxes labeled Show me as Do Not Disturb when I am Presenting from this device and Show me as Do Not Disturb when my monitor is duplicated.

Control access to your presence information

Tell me when someone's status changes

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