When you switch from Classic Outlook to the new Outlook for Windows, the green, yellow, and red presence indicators that show whether a colleague is available, busy, or away may stop appearing next to names in email messages and calendar items. This happens because the new Outlook uses a different integration method for Microsoft Teams presence data. This article explains how the new Outlook handles Teams presence, the exact steps to enable it, and what to do if the indicators still do not show after you switch.
Key Takeaways: Restoring Teams Presence in New Outlook
- New Outlook > View > People or Calendar: Presence indicators appear only in the People module and the Calendar module, not in the Mail module by default.
- Teams desktop app must be running: The new Outlook reads presence status from the Teams desktop client. If Teams is closed or only running in the browser, indicators show as unknown.
- No separate add-in required: Unlike Classic Outlook, the new Outlook does not need the Teams add-in. Presence works through the integrated Microsoft 365 identity.
Why Presence Indicators Work Differently in New Outlook
Classic Outlook relies on a COM add-in called the Teams Meeting Add-in for Microsoft Office. This add-in injects presence data into the Outlook user interface. When you switch to the new Outlook, this add-in is not loaded because the new Outlook is a completely different application built on web technologies. The new Outlook uses the Microsoft Graph API to fetch presence data directly from the Teams cloud service. This integration requires the Teams desktop client to be running and signed in with the same Microsoft 365 account that you use in Outlook.
The new Outlook displays presence indicators only in specific modules. You will see presence next to names in the People module contacts list, in the Calendar module when viewing meeting attendees, and in meeting requests. You will not see presence indicators in the Mail module message list or in the reading pane by default. This is a deliberate design difference from Classic Outlook. Microsoft may add this feature in future updates, but as of the current version, presence in email is limited.
Prerequisites for Presence to Appear
Before you troubleshoot, confirm these three conditions are met. First, you must have a Microsoft 365 license that includes Teams. Second, the Teams desktop client must be installed and running. Third, you must be signed into Teams with the same Microsoft 365 account that you use in the new Outlook. If you use a different account for Teams and Outlook, presence data will not sync.
Steps to Enable and Verify Teams Presence in New Outlook
Follow these steps to make sure Teams presence indicators appear correctly after switching from Classic Outlook.
- Open the new Outlook and sign in
Launch the new Outlook for Windows. If you have not switched yet, open Classic Outlook, click the Try the new Outlook toggle in the top-right corner, and follow the prompts. Ensure you are signed in with your work or school Microsoft 365 account. - Open and sign in to the Teams desktop app
Launch Microsoft Teams on your Windows computer. Do not use the web version. Sign in with the same Microsoft 365 account you use in Outlook. Keep Teams running in the background. - Check presence in the People module
In the new Outlook, click the People icon in the left navigation pane. Find a contact from your organization. A colored dot should appear next to their name. Green means available, yellow means away, red means busy or do not disturb, and gray means offline or unknown. - Check presence in the Calendar module
Click the Calendar icon in the left navigation pane. Open an existing meeting or create a new one. In the attendee list, you should see presence indicators next to each invitee from your organization. External attendees will not show presence. - Verify the Teams add-in is not blocking presence
In the new Outlook, click File > Options > Add-ins. Look for the Teams Meeting Add-in for Microsoft Office. If it appears in the list, it is not used by the new Outlook. Do not enable it. The new Outlook does not load COM add-ins, so this add-in has no effect on presence. - Restart both applications if presence is missing
Close Outlook and Teams completely. Open Teams first, wait for it to fully connect, then open Outlook. This ensures the presence data connection is established in the correct order.
If Presence Still Does Not Appear After the Main Steps
If you have followed the steps above and presence indicators remain gray or absent, check these additional issues.
Presence shows as unknown or offline for everyone
This usually means Outlook cannot reach the Teams presence service. First, confirm your internet connection is active. Then open Teams and check your own status. If Teams shows your status correctly but Outlook does not, sign out of both applications and sign back in. In Teams, click your profile picture and select Sign out. In Outlook, click File > Account > Sign out. Restart both apps and sign in again.
Presence works in Teams but not in Outlook
This indicates a sync issue between the two applications. Open Outlook and go to File > Options > People. Make sure the option Show online presence next to name is enabled. If it is already enabled, toggle it off, restart Outlook, then toggle it back on. This refreshes the presence subscription.
Presence indicators appear only for some contacts
Presence data is only available for contacts within your Microsoft 365 organization. External contacts, personal contacts, and contacts from other email providers will not show presence. Additionally, if a contact has not been active on Teams recently, their status may show as offline. This is normal behavior.
New Outlook vs Classic Outlook: Presence Feature Comparison
| Item | New Outlook | Classic Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Presence in Mail module | Not displayed by default | Displayed next to sender names |
| Presence in Calendar module | Displayed for meeting attendees | Displayed for meeting attendees |
| Presence in People module | Displayed for organizational contacts | Displayed for organizational contacts |
| Requires Teams add-in | No | Yes, Teams Meeting Add-in for Microsoft Office |
| Requires Teams desktop app running | Yes | Yes |
| Presence data latency | Near real-time via Graph API | Near real-time via add-in |
You can now confirm that Teams presence indicators are working in the new Outlook by checking the People and Calendar modules. If you frequently need presence in email messages, consider using the Teams desktop app or the Teams web client to view a contact’s status before sending an email. As a next step, explore the new Outlook integration with Teams chat and meetings by clicking the Chat icon in the left navigation pane to start instant conversations without leaving Outlook.