How to Keep Microsoft Teams Status Active Green All Day (2026 Guide)

It’s the notification every remote worker dreads. You stepped away from your desk for just five minutes—maybe to grab a coffee, answer the door, or simply stretch your legs—and your Microsoft Teams status has already turned yellow: "Away".

In the modern era of remote work, "Productivity Paranoia" is real. Managers often use status icons as a proxy for productivity. If your dot is green, you are working. If it's yellow, you are slacking off. This creates unnecessary anxiety for employees who are actually getting their work done but don't want to be chained to their mouse every second of the day.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore why Teams does this, how the idle timer works, and 5 proven methods to keep your status Green (Available) permanently.

The 5-Minute Rule: Why Teams Turns Yellow

Understanding the enemy is the first step to defeating it. Microsoft Teams is aggressive about user presence. Unlike other apps that might wait 15 or 30 minutes, Teams triggers the "Away" status after exactly 5 minutes of inactivity.

"Inactivity" is defined by two specific inputs:

Mouse Movement: Has the cursor moved pixel-by-pixel?
Keyboard Input: Has a key been pressed?

If the operating system reports zero events for 300 seconds (5 minutes), Teams updates your status on the server. This update is pushed instantly to your colleagues and boss.

Unfortunately, Microsoft does not provide a native setting to disable this. You cannot go into settings and select "Always Available." This limitation forces users to rely on workarounds.

Method 1: Use an Online Mouse Jiggler (Recommended)

The most effective, secure, and zero-install solution in 2026 is using a browser-based Online Mouse Jiggler.

Why this is the best method

No Admin Rights Required: Because it runs in a website, you don't need IT permission to run it.
Undetectable: Unlike downloadable .exe files (which IT scanners flag as "suspicious software"), this is just a website tab. IT departments cannot distinguish it from reading a news article.
Zero Cost: You don't need to buy physical hardware.

How to use it

Open MoveMyCursor.com in a new tab.
Click the "Start Moving" button.
Crucial Step: Leave the tab active or in the foreground.

The tool uses a tiny JavaScript animation to virtually "wiggle" your cursor. Even though you might not see the cursor flying across the screen, the operating system registers the activity, preventing the sleep timer from triggering.

Method 2: The "Private Meeting" Hack

If you cannot use a browser tool, you can exploit the "In a Call" status logic within Teams itself. Teams assumes that if you are in a meeting, you are busy, so it won't mark you as "Away."

Steps:

Open Microsoft Teams.
Go to your Calendar tab.
Click the "Meet Now" button (usually in the top right corner).
Start the meeting. Do not invite anyone. It will just be you in an empty room.
Change your status manually. By default, it will say "In a Call" (Red). Click your profile picture and select "Available" (Green).

The Risks

While effective, this method has social risks.

The "In a Call" Glitch: Sometimes Teams reverts your status back to Red. If your boss sees you are "In a Call" for 4 hours straight but your calendar is empty, it looks suspicious.
Resource Heavy: Running a video meeting consumes significant RAM and battery life.

Method 3: The PowerPoint "Presentation Mode"

Microsoft Windows has a built-in feature that prevents sleep mode while a presentation is active. We can abuse this feature to keep Teams awake.

Steps:

Open Microsoft PowerPoint.
Create a blank presentation.
Press F5 (or go to Slide Show > From Beginning).
Let the blank slide sit on your screen.

As long as the presentation is running, Windows tells applications (like Teams) that the user is "Presenting," which blocks the idle timer. You can then Alt+Tab to other windows, though it works best if the presentation remains the focused window.

Method 4: The Physical Mouse Jiggler (Hardware)

For those who want a hardware solution, you can purchase a "Physical Mouse Jiggler." These are USB dongles that look like flash drives.

How it works

You plug it into your USB port. The computer recognizes it as a standard mouse. Every few seconds, the hardware sends a signal moving the mouse 1 pixel to the left, then 1 pixel to the right.

The Downside (Warning)

Cost: Good ones cost between $20 and $50.
Port Security: Many modern companies block USB ports. If you plug in an unauthorized USB device, the security team might get an alert immediately.
Hardware ID: Advanced IT setups can see that a device named "Mouse Jiggler" is plugged in.

Method 5: The "Paperclip on Key" Trick

This is the oldest trick in the book. It involves physically weighing down a key on your keyboard so the computer thinks you are typing.

Steps:

Open Notepad.
Take a heavy object (a battery, a paperweight, or a specifically bent paperclip).
Place it on a harmless key, like the CTRL key or the Spacebar.

Why we don't recommend this

While it keeps the computer awake, it makes the computer unusable while active. If you jam the spacebar, your computer will type infinite spaces. It effectively renders your workstation useless until you return. Furthermore, continuously pressing a membrane key for hours can damage your laptop keyboard permanently.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can my company detect if I use MoveMyCursor?

It is extremely unlikely. MoveMyCursor runs entirely inside your web browser (Chrome/Edge). To your company's network logs, it looks exactly the same as if you were browsing a news site or reading documentation. It does not install any software (.exe) on your machine.

Does playing a YouTube video keep Teams Green?

Sometimes. Playing a long video (like "10 Hours of Relaxing Music") prevents your computer from going to Sleep Mode, but it does not always prevent Teams from marking you as Away. Teams specifically looks for mouse/keyboard input, not just media playback.

Will these methods stop my Mac from sleeping?

Yes. All the methods above, especially the Browser-based Jiggler, work on macOS as well. The concept of "User Input" is universal across Windows and Mac.

Conclusion

Remote work requires trust, but until that trust is universal, tools like MoveMyCursor provide a necessary layer of privacy and peace of mind.

While you can try hosting fake meetings or jamming keys on your keyboard, the simplest and most professional solution is to keep a dedicated browser tab open.

Ready to keep your status green? Click here to launch the Mouse Jiggler now.