Slack Presence Glossary
Clear definitions for Slack presence and availability terminology
Mouse Jiggler
A mouse jiggler is a device or software that simulates mouse movement to prevent your computer from going idle, sleeping, or triggering screen lock. They're commonly used by remote workers to keep systems active.
Presence Scheduler
A presence scheduler is a tool that automatically maintains your Slack presence status (active/online) during specified time windows, typically matching your work hours. Unlike mouse jigglers or scripts, modern presence schedulers run from the cloud.
Remote Work Presence
Remote work presence refers to the digital signals that indicate your availability and engagement when working outside a traditional office. It includes status indicators in chat apps, calendar availability, and response patterns that teammates use to gauge when you're reachable.
Slack Active Status
Slack active status is the presence indicator (solid green dot) that appears next to your name when Slack detects recent activity. It signals to teammates that you're currently available and likely to respond.
Slack Auto-Away
Slack auto-away is the automatic system that switches your presence status from active (green) to away (yellow) after a period of inactivity. Slack typically triggers this after approximately 10 minutes with no interaction.
Slack Away Status
Slack away status is the presence indicator (hollow circle or yellow dot) that appears next to your name when Slack detects you're inactive or disconnected. It signals to teammates that you may not respond immediately.
Slack Do Not Disturb
Slack Do Not Disturb (DND) is a feature that pauses notifications without changing your presence status. When DND is active, you won't receive alerts, but teammates can still see you as active and choose to send urgent messages.
Slack Green Dot
The green dot in Slack is a presence indicator showing that a person is currently active. It appears as a solid green circle next to their profile picture and name, indicating they've recently interacted with Slack.
Slack Idle Timeout
Slack's idle timeout is the period of inactivity after which Slack automatically changes your presence status from active to away. This typically occurs after approximately 10 minutes without keyboard, mouse, or app interaction.
Slack Presence
Slack presence is the indicator (green or yellow dot) next to your name showing whether you're currently active or away in Slack. It's automatically determined by Slack based on your recent activity and connection status.
Why Slack Presence Matters
Understanding these terms helps you manage remote work expectations
For Remote Teams
The green dot has become a proxy for availability in distributed teams. Understanding how it works helps set realistic expectations.
For Deep Work
Knowing how auto-away works lets you focus without worrying about constant status checks or mouse jigglers.
Want to manage your Slack presence?
Idle Pilot keeps you active during work hours, even when your laptop sleeps.