Teams and Slack status icon meanings
Find the meaning of a presence symbol without guessing from its color. This searchable reference pairs simplified illustrations with names and descriptions. It covers documented Teams presence states and common Slack availability, notification, huddle, and custom-status indicators.
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Illustrations are simplified. Always check the app’s status text or tooltip; several states share a symbol.
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Teams: Available
Filled green circle with a check mark. Available to contact; this does not prove someone is working.
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Teams: Available, out of office
Outlined green circle with a check mark. Available presence alongside an out-of-office setting.
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Teams: Busy
Filled red circle. Busy, which can be selected manually or set by app activity.
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Teams: In a call
The Busy circle with an In a call label. A call is in progress.
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Teams: In a meeting
The Busy circle with an In a meeting label. Meeting or calendar context supplies the label.
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Teams: In a call, out of office
Outlined red circle. Call activity is shown alongside out-of-office information.
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Teams: Do not disturb
Red circle with a horizontal white bar. Interruptions are restricted; priority exceptions can still apply.
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Teams: Presenting
Do not disturb symbol with a Presenting label. Presentation activity can affect presence.
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Teams: Focusing
Do not disturb symbol with a Focusing label. Scheduled focus time can supply this state.
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Teams: Away / Last seen
Yellow circle with clock hands. Away may include a last-seen time; it is not an attendance record.
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Teams: Be right back
The Away clock symbol. A manually selected short absence, distinguished by its text label.
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Teams: Offline / Appear offline
Gray circle with an x. Offline can reflect disconnection or a deliberately selected appearance.
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Teams: Status unknown
Outlined gray circle. Presence is unavailable; it does not identify why.
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Teams: Out of office
Purple circle with an arrow. Automatic replies or an out-of-office calendar event can supply this indicator.
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Slack: Active
Filled availability dot. Active is separate from the custom status text or emoji.
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Slack: Away
Hollow availability dot. Away may be automatic or manually selected.
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Slack: Active, notifications paused
Active dot with a z-style paused-notification badge. Notification delivery and availability are different settings.
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Slack: Away, notifications paused
Away dot with a paused-notification badge. Check the text tooltip for notification context.
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Slack: In a huddle
Headphone-style huddle indicator in Slack. This is conversation context rather than another availability value.
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Slack: Custom status emoji
A user-selected emoji alongside status text. Its meaning is supplied by that person, not a universal presence rule.
Ready. Everything you enter in this tool stays local.
How to use it
- Search what you see Type a name or visual clue such as clock, paused, unknown, or out of office. Results match the visible descriptions as well as the icon names. Clear the search to restore all entries.
- Narrow the platform Choose Teams or Slack if similar symbols are causing confusion. The matching count announces the result, including when nothing matches. You can return to both platforms without losing your search.
- Check the text in the app Compare the description with the app’s status label or tooltip. The illustrations here are a reading aid, not a pixel-perfect reproduction of every client version.
One symbol can carry several labels
Teams uses shared shapes for several states. A busy-style indicator can accompany call or meeting context; a do-not-disturb-style indicator can accompany presenting or focusing. Read the label rather than deciding from the dot alone.
Out-of-office context can coexist with another presence state. That combination is different from a status message typed by the person. The reference includes combined states to help explain why an outlined symbol may look unfamiliar.
Availability and messages answer different questions
Slack’s availability dot, paused notifications, and custom status are separate signals. A person can explain what they are doing in text without changing the availability meaning. A huddle indicator adds conversation context.
These clues help you decide how to contact someone. They cannot establish attendance, performance, or whether a person is physically at a desk. Ask about response expectations when the distinction matters.
What this tool can and cannot do
- Does not inspect an account or identify a symbol from an uploaded screenshot.
- Client appearance, themes, and organization settings can differ; app text remains the best immediate reference.
FAQ
What does an empty circle mean?
Are color differences enough to identify a state?
Can I change my status here?
Sources
- Microsoft: Change your status in Teams · Checked 2026-10-28
- Microsoft: User presence in Teams · Checked 2026-10-28
- Slack: Set your status and availability · Checked 2026-10-28
- Slack: Pause your notifications · Checked 2026-10-28
- Slack: Use huddles · Checked 2026-10-28
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