Questions
- How do I stop calls from coming in when I'm in a meeting?
- How do I set Teams to Do Not Disturb during class?
- How do I change my availability status in Teams?
- How do I prevent Teams from ringing my computer during a presentation?
- Will Teams automatically show me as busy when I'm in a meeting?
- How do I set my status on the Teams mobile app?
- How do I change availability on a Teams desk phone?
- What are the different availability statuses in Microsoft Teams?
Environment
This article applies to Bowdoin College faculty and staff who use Teams Calling and want to manage how calls are handled during meetings, classes, or focused work time. Availability settings apply across all devices where you are signed in to Teams.
- Desktop app: macOS (Sequoia 15.x, Tahoe 26.x) and Windows 11
- Mobile app: iOS and Android
- Desk phone: Teams-compatible Poly phone
- For after-hours silencing on mobile: See Set Quiet Hours in Teams to Silence Calls After Hours in the Related Articles section.
Resolution
Change your availability status manually
Your availability status in Teams can be set to any of the following: Available, Busy, Do not disturb, Be right back, Appear away, or Appear offline.
To prevent incoming calls from ringing, set your status to Do not disturb. Callers will be sent directly to voicemail.
Desktop app (Mac or Windows):
- Click your account icon (circle with your initials) in the upper-right corner of the Teams window.
- Click your current availability status shown beneath your name.
- Select Do not disturb from the dropdown menu.
Mobile app (iOS or Android):
- Tap your account icon (circle with your initials) in the upper-left corner of the Teams app.
- Tap your current availability status shown beneath your name.
- Select Do not disturb.
Desk phone (Poly):
- Tap your account icon in the upper-right corner of the phone screen.
- Tap your current availability status beneath your name.
- Select Do not disturb.
Remember to reset your status: When your meeting or class ends, return to this menu and set your status back to Available. Teams does not automatically clear a manually set status.
How Teams updates your status automatically
In addition to manual changes, Teams can update your availability automatically in two situations:
- During a Teams call: Your status switches to Busy automatically while you are on a call.
- During a calendar appointment: If you have a calendar event with at least one other accepted attendee, Teams sets your status to Busy for the duration of that event. Events where only you are invited, or where no one has accepted, do not trigger this automatic change.
Note: Automatic busy status only applies during meetings with accepted attendees. If you want to block calls during solo focus time or while teaching a class without a Teams event on your calendar, set Do not disturb manually.
Additional Help
If you need further assistance, you have several options:
- Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
- Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
- In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
- Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.