# Manually Switch Presence

Your presence controls how incoming calls are handled and how coworkers see your availability. You can change it yourself at any time, either setting a fixed status that stays until you change it again, or a temporary status that reverts automatically after a period you define.

## Switch to a fixed status

A fixed status remains in effect until you manually select a different one. There are two ways to set it.

### From the Cloud Voice App

1. Sign in to the Cloud Voice App.
2. In the top bar, open the **Presence** drop-down list and choose the status you want.

The [presence settings](/pbx/web-client-user-guide/presence-settings/) tied to that status are applied immediately.

:::caution
Changing your presence takes effect at once and changes how incoming calls are handled. Depending on the settings for the status you pick, new calls may be forwarded elsewhere or sent straight to voicemail. Make sure you have selected the status you actually want before you switch.
:::

![Cloud Voice, selecting a presence status from the drop-down in the top bar](/images/pbx/manual-switch-status.png)

### By dialing a feature code

Each presence status has its own feature code. On the dialpad, dial the code for the status you want to switch to.

:::note
Feature codes are configured by your system administrator. Contact them if you need the code for a status.
:::

## Switch to a temporary status

A temporary status is useful when you know exactly how long you will be unavailable. For example, if you are heading into a meeting and cannot take calls, you can route them to a fallback destination for the meeting's duration and have your normal presence restored automatically afterward. This saves you from remembering to switch back.

:::tip
Use a temporary status instead of a fixed one whenever your unavailability has a clear end time. It reverts on its own, so your normal call routing comes back even if you forget to change it.
:::

### Set the status

1. Sign in to the Cloud Voice App.
2. In the top bar, open the presence drop-down list and select **Set Temporary Status**.

![Cloud Voice, the Set Temporary Status option in the presence drop-down](/images/pbx/switch-to-temporary-status.png)

3. In the window that opens, fill in the following:

   ![The temporary status dialog with fields for status, time, and an optional message](/images/pbx/set-temporary-status.png)

   a. Under **Change Status To**, pick the temporary status you want to apply.

   b. Under **Time**, choose how the status should expire:
      - **Duration**: The status lasts for a set length of time. Set the length using the **Hour** and **Minute** drop-down lists.
      - **Date**: The status lasts until a specific date and time. Set it in the **Date** field.

   c. Optionally, add a personal note in the **Set Status Message** field.

   d. Click **Save**.

The [presence settings](/pbx/web-client-user-guide/presence-settings/) for the chosen status take effect right away.

### Check when it expires

Hover over your presence in the top bar to see when the temporary status will end. At that point, your presence and its associated settings automatically return to whatever they were before.

![Cloud Voice, hovering over presence to view the temporary status expiration time](/images/pbx/check-temporary-status.png)