Skype for Business is an instant messaging client, a collaboration tool with a main goal to provide users with chat, video and audio calls. Highlights: Powerful collaboration tools for real-time input - record meetings, share your screen, and annotate PowerPoint for real-time collaboration with up to 250 people. In some applications it updates automatically based on events in your calendar, but with Skype for Mac, you need to update it manually. Click your image (or the generic human icon) at the top of the left column of the Skype window, then use the dropdown list just below your name to set your status manually. And it uses a phone-call metaphor, perhaps more familiar than setting up a meeting. Skype's been around for a long time, allowing voice and video calls to other Skype users (on computer, smartphone, or tablet) for free, while encouraging users to send them a bit of money that can be spent connecting to phone services - locally or long-distance. Get Skype, free messaging and video chat app. Conference calls for up to 25 people. Download Skype for Windows, Mac or Linux today.
Personal Status Message
Use this field to write a note about your day (for example, “working from home” or “in the office until 3:00 PM”). Others will see this message next to your entry in their contacts list. If you have not entered a note, you will see “Click to create a personal status message” Your contacts will not see this message.
Presence Indicator
The colored bar on the left of your picture / generic icon represents your current status. A similar bar appears next to each of your contacts. Your status is set automatically, based on your Outlook calendar and you current Lync activity, but you can also set it manually.
Manually Setting Presence
Selecting the drop-down menu beneath your name provides you with a selection of presences to set for yourself including available, busy, do not disturb, be right back, off work and appear away.
Skype For Mac Laptop
Sync Presence with Outlook Calendar
- Click on the Lync icon, then at the top-left of your desktop, click Lync >Preferences
- Click on Account
- Under “Microsoft Exchange and Outlook Settings,” check Update my presence based on calendar information

Change Presence Status Timing
If you want to change the amount of time before your presence status will be changed to Inactive or Active, follow these steps:
Skype On Mac
- Click on the Lync icon, then at the top-left of your desktop, click Lync >Preferences
- Click on Account
- Check Show me as away when I am Inactive for this many minutes
- Adjust the number for your desired time
