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How to Set Your Status in Slack

A custom status tells your team what you're doing without you typing a single message. Here's how to set one on desktop and mobile, make it clear itself automatically — and the one thing it won't do: keep your green dot on.

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By · Updated 2026-06-23
Quick Answer

To set your status in Slack, click your profile picture in the top-right corner (desktop) or tap the You tab (mobile), choose Update your status, type a message or pick a preset like "In a meeting," add an emoji if you want, choose when it should clear, then hit Save. Your status then shows next to your name across the workspace. One thing to know up front: your custom status — the emoji and message you write — is separate from your presence dot (green = active, grey = away), which Slack sets automatically. Writing a status does not keep you green.

Status set — now keep the dot green

The dot, not just the text

Slack lets you write a status, but won't keep your presence dot green. Stay Green On Slack maintains your active presence from the cloud.

On your hours

Pick the days and hours you want to look active, in your timezone — instead of setting and resetting things by hand all day.

30-second setup

Install the Chrome extension once. After that your presence just runs — no app open, no laptop left awake.

YOU SET THIS Dan Chong 📅 In a meeting · clears in 1h SLACK SETS THIS green dot = active · grey = away (automatic, after ~30 min idle)

How to Set Your Status in Slack

Your Slack status is the little emoji-and-text label that sits next to your name — 🏠 Working remotely, 📅 In a meeting, 🌴 On vacation. It's the fastest way to tell your whole team what you're up to without messaging each of them. Setting one takes about ten seconds once you know where it lives, and you can have Slack clear it for you automatically so you never leave a stale "At lunch" up at 4pm.

Before the steps, one distinction trips almost everyone up — and it's the reason people set a status and then wonder why they still show as "away."

Custom status vs. your presence dot — two different things

Slack shows two separate signals next to your name:

So you can have a status that says "📅 In a meeting" while your dot has already gone grey because you haven't touched your keyboard in half an hour. If it's the dot you care about, jump to what each Slack status icon means or skip ahead to keeping the dot green.

How to set a Slack status on desktop

  1. Click your profile picture in the top-right corner of Slack.
  2. Click Update your status (just under your name).
  3. Type a message in the box, or click a preset such as "In a meeting," "Commuting," or "Working remotely."
  4. Click the emoji icon on the left of the box to pick a status emoji.
  5. Use the Clear after dropdown to choose when it disappears.
  6. Click Save. Done — your status now shows everywhere in the workspace.

How to set a Slack status on mobile (iPhone & Android)

  1. Tap the You tab in the bottom-right of the app.
  2. Tap What's your status? (or your existing status to edit it).
  3. Choose a preset or tap the emoji and type your own message.
  4. Set Clear after, then tap Save in the top corner.

The status syncs instantly across every device you're signed in on, so a status set on your phone shows on your desktop too.

Make your status clear automatically

The Clear after dropdown is the most underused part of the status editor. Instead of "Don't clear," pick a duration — 30 minutes, 1 hour, Today, This week, or a custom date and time. Slack then deletes the status for you when that moment arrives, so you never broadcast "🍔 At lunch" three hours after you got back. For status timing that Slack's presets can't do — like weekday-only hours or a green dot scheduled to specific working hours — see how to set custom Slack status timing.

Add a status emoji

The emoji is the part teammates scan first — it reads faster than text in a crowded channel list. A 🗓️ instantly signals "in a meeting," a 🎧 says "heads-down, focusing," a 🌴 says "off this week." You can use any emoji in your workspace, including custom ones. Stuck for what to write? We collected the best ones by situation in Slack status ideas.

Status vs. presence at a glance

Custom status Presence dot
What it is Emoji + short message Green (active) / grey (away)
Who sets it You Slack, automatically
Clears on its own? Yes — "Clear after" N/A
Recurring schedule? Not built in Not built in
Keeps you "active"? No This is the active signal

The one thing you can't set by hand: staying green

Here's the gap. You can set a perfect status, but the moment you step away for 30 minutes your presence dot turns grey anyway — and there is no setting inside Slack to stop that. The dot is the signal most managers and teammates actually read for "are they around right now," and Slack hands you no control over it.

That's what Stay Green On Slack handles. It keeps your presence active from the cloud on a schedule you choose, so your dot stays green during your working hours without a mouse jiggler or your laptop left running. You set the status text; we keep the dot green. See how the cloud presence works for the full picture.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I set my status in Slack?
On desktop, click your profile picture in the top-right corner, choose "Update your status," type a message or pick a preset, optionally add an emoji, choose when it should clear, then click Save. On mobile, tap the You tab at the bottom, then tap "What's your status?" and do the same. Your status appears next to your name across the workspace.
What's the difference between a Slack status and the presence dot?
A custom status is the emoji and short message you write yourself, like a calendar emoji and "In a meeting." Your presence — the green dot for active or the hollow grey dot for away — is set automatically by Slack based on whether you've used the app recently. You set the status; Slack sets the dot. They're independent.
How do I make my Slack status clear automatically?
When you set a status, use the "Clear after" dropdown to pick a duration — 30 minutes, an hour, today, this week, or a custom date and time. Slack removes the status automatically when that time is reached, so you don't have to remember to delete it.
Can I set a Slack status that repeats on a schedule?
Slack's built-in status only clears once — there's no native option to repeat a status every weekday or set it on recurring hours. For a recurring status, or to keep your green presence dot on during set hours, you need an external tool such as Stay Green On Slack, which runs on a schedule from the cloud.
Does setting a status make me show as active?
No. Writing a custom status doesn't change your green or grey presence dot. Slack still marks you Away after about 30 minutes with no activity, regardless of your status text. To stay green you have to keep generating activity or use a presence tool that does it for you.
Can other people see my Slack status?
Yes. Your custom status emoji and message appear next to your name in channels, direct messages, and the member directory for everyone in the workspace. Anyone hovering over your name also sees the full status text.

Set the status. We'll keep the dot green.

Slack lets you write a status, but won't keep your presence active. Stay Green On Slack handles the green dot on your schedule — no mouse jiggler, no laptop left running.

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