How to Set a Custom Status in Slack

In the modern era of remote and hybrid work, communicating your availability to your colleagues is more important than ever. If you are stepping away for lunch, focusing deeply on a complex project, or taking a few days of annual leave, setting a clear status in Slack prevents unnecessary interruptions and sets proper expectations for when you will reply.

While Slack provides a few default options (like “In a meeting” or “Sick”), creating a custom status allows you to provide much more specific context. You can choose a unique emoji, write a tailored message, and even set the status to clear itself automatically at a specific time.

In this guide, we will show you how to set a custom status in Slack on both the desktop application and the mobile app.

How to Set a Custom Status on the Slack Desktop App

Whether you are using Slack on a Mac, a Windows PC, or directly in your web browser, the process for setting your status is identical.

1. Open Slack and look at the bottom-left corner of the sidebar where your profile picture is located. (In some older layouts, your profile picture may be in the top-right corner).
2. Click on your profile picture.
3. In the menu that appears, click the Update your status button.
4. A pop-up window will open. Click inside the text box labelled What’s your status? and type your custom message (for example, “Focusing on the Q3 report until 2 PM”).
5. Click the smiley face icon to the left of your text to select an emoji that matches your status. This emoji will appear next to your name in channels and direct messages.
6. Under the text box, click the Clear after dropdown menu. You can choose to have your status automatically disappear after a specific time (e.g., 1 hour, 4 hours, or a custom date and time).
7. Click the green Save button.

How to Set a Custom Status on the Slack Mobile App

If you are away from your desk and need to update your team using your iPhone or Android device, you can change your status in just a few taps.

1. Open the Slack app on your smartphone.
2. Tap the You tab in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
3. Tap the text box at the top of the screen that says What’s your status?.
4. Type your custom message into the text field.
5. Tap the default emoji (usually a speech bubble) next to your text to select a more appropriate icon from the emoji picker.
6. Tap the Clear after option to set an expiration time for your status.
7. Tap Done (or the checkmark icon) in the top-right corner to save your changes.

Best Practices for Using Slack Statuses

To communicate effectively without overwhelming your team, keep these professional tips in mind:

• Be Concise: Your status should be a brief update, not a novel. Colleagues should be able to read it at a glance.
• Always Use Expiration Times: There is nothing more confusing than seeing a colleague’s status set to “At lunch” three days in a row. Always use the “Clear after” feature so your status resets automatically when you return.
• Pause Notifications: Changing your status does not stop your phone or computer from pinging. If you truly need uninterrupted focus time, click your profile picture and select Pause notifications (Do Not Disturb) in addition to setting your status.

By maintaining an accurate and contextual Slack status, you demonstrate strong professional communication and help your entire team work more efficiently.