How to keep your Slack status active
Slack's green dot fades to an empty circle when it thinks you've wandered off. Here's how Slack decides, what you can do with its built-in settings, and when a browser extension makes sense.
Presence vs. status in Slack
Slack has two separate things that people often mix up:
- Presence is the dot next to your name. A filled green dot means active; an empty circle means away. Slack sets this automatically based on activity, or you can set yourself away by hand.
- Status is the emoji and short message you choose, like "Heads down until 3" or "On a call." It doesn't change your presence, but it tells people far more.
This guide is mostly about presence, but don't skip over status. It's often the better way to say "I'm working, just not typing."
When Slack marks you as away
Slack's help page on status and availability describes it like this:
- You're set to away after 10 minutes of inactivity on your computer. Slack doesn't give a separate number for the browser.
- On mobile, you're set to away when you leave or close the Slack app.
- If you've set yourself as away manually, you stay away until you switch back.
Slack is more forgiving than Teams on the web, but a long call, a design review on paper or an hour of reading will still turn your dot hollow.
Free ways to stay active (or explain why you're not)
Set a clear custom status
Click your profile picture and set a status with an emoji, a message and an expiry, like "Reading specs, will reply by 11." Slack can clear it automatically.
- Free, quick and honest
- Gives teammates real context
- Your dot may still go hollow
- Easy to forget to update
Pause notifications
Pausing notifications for an hour or setting a notification schedule tells people you're focused. Colleagues see that your notifications are paused.
- Protects deep work
- Built into Slack
- Doesn't keep you active
- Some people may wait longer to message you
Keep Slack open on your phone
If you're on a call or away from your desk but working, having the Slack app open typically shows you as active.
- Reflects real activity
- Only while the app is open and in front
- Not practical for long sessions
Change your computer's sleep and lock settings
Longer timeouts keep your machine from locking during a long read or call.
- Stops the lock screen from cutting you off
- Doesn't reset Slack's own inactivity timer
- May be restricted by your IT policy
Agree on norms with your team
A lot of teams decide that presence doesn't mean much and rely on status and response-time expectations instead.
- Fixes the root problem
- Costs nothing
- Needs buy-in from your team
Using Awayproof with Slack on the web
If you use Slack at app.slack.com, Awayproof can keep your presence active during the hours you choose. It tells the Slack tab it's still visible and in use and sends the same lightweight activity signal Slack's web app sends when you move your mouse. It doesn't read messages, channels or files, and it doesn't collect personal data.
You decide when it runs. Set work hours and weekdays, then add breaks like lunch with their own days. Outside those windows Awayproof stops and Slack shows you as away on its usual timer. You can switch Slack and Teams on or off separately.
What it can't do:
- It doesn't work with the Slack desktop app, only Slack in a browser tab.
- The tab needs to stay open and the browser running.
- If your computer sleeps, the lid closes or you lock the screen yourself, you may still show as away. The optional "Keep computer awake" setting prevents sleep and the automatic screen lock while it's active.
- It doesn't change a status or away setting you chose yourself.
- Slack updates can temporarily stop it from working.
A sensible setup
For most people, a combination works best: use a custom status for planned focus or calls, pause notifications when you truly need quiet, and if you work in the browser, let a scheduled tool handle the long reading stretches during your work day so you don't have to keep nudging the mouse.
A note on workplace policy. Presence indicators are a team communication tool, and some employers have rules about them or about which browser extensions you can install. Whatever you choose, use it in line with your organization's policies. If you're unsure, ask your manager or IT team. Often the simplest fix is to agree with your team that a yellow dot doesn't mean "not working."
Frequently asked questions
How long until Slack shows me as away?
Slack's help center says you're set to away after 10 minutes of desktop inactivity, and on mobile when you leave or close the app. It doesn't list a separate time for the browser, and Slack can change this. It also shows you away when you've set yourself as away manually.
Can I set Slack to always show me as active?
No. Slack lets you set yourself as away manually, but there's no setting to stay active permanently. Once you're inactive for long enough, Slack shows you as away.
Is my Slack status the same as the green dot?
No. The green dot (or hollow circle) is your presence, which Slack sets from activity. Your status is the emoji and text you choose, like "In a meeting" or "Heads down." You can set a status regardless of presence.
Does Awayproof work with the Slack desktop app?
No. Awayproof only works with Slack in a browser tab at app.slack.com, in Chrome, Edge, Brave or another Chromium browser.
Does Awayproof read my Slack messages?
No. It doesn't read messages, channels or files. It only tells the Slack tab it's still in use and sends the same kind of activity signal Slack sends when you move your mouse.