A complete troubleshooting guide for Microsoft Teams not letting you change your status

Status indicators in Microsoft Teams are used to quickly show other users when you’re online and available, online but away, don’t want to be disturbed, or are simply not online. Unfortunately, there are cases where you may be unable to change your status, or even have your status change itself inaccurately (as we’ve covered before).

FixExplanation
Updating Microsoft TeamsIf the root of the problem is a bug, missing file, or outdated system an updated client is likely to have a fix.
Joining meetings in Microsoft TeamsJoining a meeting refreshes and updates your status. As such, it’s possible being present for a meeting could allow Teams to resolve your issue for you.
Clearing the cache for Microsoft TeamsThe cache stores data from your current and prior sessions. If the cache is full, it cannot always be updated with new information- such as what status you want to apply.

In this post, we will be breaking down the solutions used to ensure your status can once again be changed. These solutions include: updating Microsoft Teams, joining a meeting, and clearing your Microsoft Teams cache.

Contents:

  1. Updating Microsoft Teams
  2. Joining meetings in Microsoft Teams
  3. Clearing the cache for Microsoft Teams
  4. End note

Updating Microsoft Teams to change your status

Automatic updates

If you’re new to Microsoft Teams, you may not know the application automatically updates itself. Teams do this by checking for, downloading, and installing new updates upon start-up. However, if you haven’t closed the application between sessions this process may not have triggered. As a result, you will need to manually trigger the check for an update, or properly exit and re-open Microsoft Teams.

Manual updates – A brief guide

  • Access context menu () by your account icon in the top right.
  • Select check for update.
    • If there is an update, restart Microsoft Teams.

Joining meetings in Microsoft Teams to change your status

Step 1 – Select Meet now from the calendar

Open Microsoft Teams and navigate to the calendar tab. This can be done by selecting the calendar icon on the left side panel. After reaching the calendar page, click Meet now.

Step 2 – Start your meeting

Within the window, optionally name your meeting, and lastly, select Start meeting. While this will start your meeting, you will still need to join your meeting.

Step 3 – Join your meeting

While it is possible to optionally alter your settings before joining the meeting, we’re going to avoid doing so this time. That’s because you need only remain in a meeting for a short while before leaving again. As such, your options won’t matter.

Step 4 – Leave the meeting after a minute

In the top left of the window sits a timer. Wait for the timer to reach a minute (01:00) or higher. After which, you may leave the meeting via the red Leave button.

Step 5 – Try update your status

Select your account icon to generate a context menu, from which you may access the availability dropdown, labeled with your current status. Click a status to assign it to yourself.

Clearing the cache for Microsoft Teams to change your status

If you would like a more comprehensive guide, please consult our other blog post, linked here.

A brief guide

  • Go to your desktop
  • Right click your desktop
  • Select New>Text file
  • Double click the file to open it
  • Copy and paste the script provided below
  • Save the file, making sure it ends with .bat and not .txt
  • Close notepad
  • Return to your desktop
  • Run the file by double clicking it
@echo off
color 0e
cls
del /s %appdata%\Microsoft\teams\application cache\cache.
del /s %appdata%\Microsoft\teams\blob_storage.
del /s %appdata%\Microsoft\teams\databases.
del /s %appdata%\Microsoft\teams\GPUcache.
del /s %appdata%\Microsoft\teams\IndexedDB.
del /s %appdata%\Microsoft\teams\Local Storage.
del /s %appdata%\Microsoft\teams\tmp.
echo Cache Cleared Successfully
pause

End note

Recap

Your status in Microsoft Teams is used to indicate to colleagues when you’re free, busy, or offline. When you are unable to set your status, you can resolve the issue by updating Teams, clearing Teams cache, and/or attending a meeting for at least a minute.

Farewell

As usual, this section is dedicated to thanking readers for their support. We’d be pleased to know you found this post useful and/or informative. If you have any more Office 365 related queries, please consult our related articles (listed below). However, if you have other queries, consider looking at the rest of the site. We’re frequently posting new stuff each week and may just have the guide or troubleshooting tips you need. Regardless, we wish you a good day/night. Farewell readers. 

Our related articles:

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Jack Mitchell

Jack Mitchell has been the Operations manager at telecoms and MSP Optionbox for more than 4 years. He has played a crucial role in the company, from marketing to helpdesk, and ensures that the IT requirements of over 300 clients are continuously met. With his innate passion for technology and troubleshooting and a particular interest in Apple products, Jack now delivers the most comprehensive tech guides to make your life easier. You can connect with Jack on LinkedIn.

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