How to Change Status in Outlook | Show Yourself as Busy In Outlook?

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through changing your availability status in Outlook, allowing you to set yourself as busy or online during specific dates and times. This is especially useful for managing your schedule and communicating your availability to colleagues via Microsoft Teams.

Step 1: Access Outlook Calendar

• Open Microsoft Outlook on your computer.
• Navigate to the Calendar view by clicking on the calendar icon located at the bottom left of the Outlook window.

Step 2: Create a New Appointment

• Click on the "New Appointment" button in the ribbon at the top of the screen.
• Alternatively, you can double-click on the desired date and time in your calendar.

Step 3: Set Your Availability Status

• In the appointment window, locate the "Show As" drop-down menu.
• Choose your desired status:
  • Free: Indicates you are available.
  • Busy: Indicates you are unavailable.
  • Tentative: Indicates you might be available.
  • Out of Office: Indicates you are not available for the entire day.

Step 4: Specify Date and Time

• Enter the start and end time for your appointment.
• You can also select "All Day Event" if applicable.

Step 5: Add Details (Optional)

• Fill in the subject and location fields to provide more information about the appointment.
• You may add any additional notes in the description box if necessary.

Step 6: Save the Appointment

• Click the "Save & Close" button to finalize your appointment and update your availability status.
• Your status will now reflect in your calendar, and others can see when you are available or busy.

Step 7: Sync with Microsoft Teams

• If you are using Microsoft Teams, ensure your Outlook and Teams accounts are linked.
• Your status in Teams will automatically update based on your Outlook calendar appointments.

Conclusion

Changing your status in Outlook helps manage your availability effectively. By following these steps, you can easily set yourself as busy or available as needed. For further optimization, consider syncing your Outlook calendar with Microsoft Teams to keep your colleagues informed of your schedule.