Need to get in touch with someone but not sure if they’re free? In this video, we’ll show you how to find out if someone is available without having to continually check.
Waiting for a coworker to finish a meeting or become active on Microsoft Teams can slow down your workflow and waste valuable time. Fortunately, Teams includes a helpful feature called Notify when available, which automatically alerts you the moment someone becomes available again.
Instead of repeatedly checking their status or sending follow-up messages, you can let Teams notify you instantly when they return online or finish a call.
What Is “Notify When Available” in Microsoft Teams?
The Notify when available feature allows you to follow another user’s presence status in Teams. When that person changes from:
- Busy
- In a meeting
- On a call
- Away
…to Available, Teams sends you a desktop notification automatically.
This feature is especially useful when:
- Waiting to ask a quick question
- Coordinating with busy coworkers
- Following up after meetings
- Avoiding unnecessary interruptions
How to Use “Notify When Available” in Teams
Setting up a notification only takes a few clicks:
Step 1: Open Teams – Launch Microsoft Teams and navigate to either:
- Your Chat list, or
- Your Contacts list
Step 2: Find the Person You Want to Follow – Locate the co-worker whose status you want to monitor. Hover your mouse over their name.
Step 3: Open More Options – Click the More Options icon — the three dots (…) that appear next to their name.
Step 4: Select “Notify When Available” – From the menu, choose: Notify when available …Teams will display a confirmation message letting you know you are now following that person’s presence status.
Step 5: Wait for the Notification – As soon as the person becomes available again, Microsoft Teams will send a pop-up notification directly to your desktop. This allows you to contact them at the right moment without continuously checking their profile status.
How to Turn Off Notifications
If you no longer want updates for a specific person, disabling the alert is simple.
- Hover over their name again
- Click the three-dot menu ( … )
- Select: Turn off notification
You will stop receiving availability alerts for that user immediately.
How to Manage All Followed Contacts
Microsoft Teams also allows you to review and manage everyone whose status you are currently following. To access this list:
- Open Settings
- Go to Notifications and activity
- Select People
From there, you can:
- View followed contacts
- Remove notifications
- Adjust presence-related alerts
Why This Feature Is Useful
The “Notify when available” feature can improve communication efficiency by helping you:
- Reduce interruptions
- Avoid unnecessary follow-ups
- Reach coworkers at better times
- Stay productive during busy workdays
It’s a small Teams feature that can make collaboration much smoother, especially in remote or hybrid work environments.
Final Thoughts
Microsoft Teams’ Notify when available feature is an easy but powerful productivity tool that helps you stay connected without constantly monitoring someone’s status. With automatic alerts, you can communicate more efficiently, avoid wasted time, and contact coworkers exactly when they are ready to respond.
If you regularly collaborate with busy teammates, this simple feature can quickly become one of your favorite Microsoft Teams time-saving tricks.
We regularly update the Tech Tips with new articles and advice from the IT West team so be sure to check back for the latest technical tips, tricks and guidance from our team of business IT experts.