diff --git a/backend/src/middleware/permissionsMiddleware.ts b/backend/src/middleware/permissionsMiddleware.ts
index 1fc84b665..a38610efd 100644
--- a/backend/src/middleware/permissionsMiddleware.ts
+++ b/backend/src/middleware/permissionsMiddleware.ts
@@ -462,6 +462,7 @@ export default shield(
       switchUserRole: isAdmin,
       markTeaserAsViewed: allow,
       saveCategorySettings: isAuthenticated,
+      updateOnlineStatus: isAuthenticated,
       CreateRoom: isAuthenticated,
       CreateMessage: isAuthenticated,
       MarkMessagesAsSeen: isAuthenticated,
diff --git a/backend/src/models/User.ts b/backend/src/models/User.ts
index b8d024216..9b828e27e 100644
--- a/backend/src/models/User.ts
+++ b/backend/src/models/User.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ export default {
   },
   invitedBy: { type: 'relationship', relationship: 'INVITED', target: 'User', direction: 'in' },
   lastActiveAt: { type: 'string', isoDate: true },
+  lastOnlineStatus: { type: 'string' },
+  awaySince: { type: 'string', isoDate: true },
   createdAt: { type: 'string', isoDate: true, default: () => new Date().toISOString() },
   updatedAt: {
     type: 'string',
diff --git a/backend/src/schema/resolvers/users.spec.ts b/backend/src/schema/resolvers/users.spec.ts
index bc976fb24..09f98ad53 100644
--- a/backend/src/schema/resolvers/users.spec.ts
+++ b/backend/src/schema/resolvers/users.spec.ts
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@ const saveCategorySettings = gql`
   }
 `
 
+const updateOnlineStatus = gql`
+  mutation ($status: OnlineStatus!) {
+    updateOnlineStatus(status: $status)
+  }
+`
+
 beforeAll(async () => {
   await cleanDatabase()
 
@@ -722,3 +728,114 @@ describe('save category settings', () => {
     })
   })
 })
+
+describe('updateOnlineStatus', () => {
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    user = await Factory.build('user', {
+      id: 'user',
+      role: 'user',
+    })
+    variables = {
+      status: 'online',
+    }
+  })
+
+  describe('not authenticated', () => {
+    beforeEach(async () => {
+      authenticatedUser = undefined
+    })
+
+    it('throws an error', async () => {
+      await expect(mutate({ mutation: updateOnlineStatus, variables })).resolves.toEqual(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          errors: [
+            expect.objectContaining({
+              message: 'Not Authorized!',
+            }),
+          ],
+        }),
+      )
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('authenticated', () => {
+    beforeEach(async () => {
+      authenticatedUser = await user.toJson()
+    })
+
+    describe('set online', () => {
+      it('returns true and saves the user in the database as online', async () => {
+        await expect(mutate({ mutation: updateOnlineStatus, variables })).resolves.toEqual(
+          expect.objectContaining({
+            data: { updateOnlineStatus: true },
+          }),
+        )
+
+        const cypher = 'MATCH (u:User {id: $id}) RETURN u'
+        const result = await neode.cypher(cypher, { id: authenticatedUser.id })
+        const dbUser = neode.hydrateFirst(result, 'u', neode.model('User'))
+        await expect(dbUser.toJson()).resolves.toMatchObject({
+          lastOnlineStatus: 'online',
+        })
+        await expect(dbUser.toJson()).resolves.not.toMatchObject({
+          awaySince: expect.any(String),
+        })
+      })
+    })
+
+    describe('set away', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        variables = {
+          status: 'away',
+        }
+      })
+
+      it('returns true and saves the user in the database as away', async () => {
+        await expect(mutate({ mutation: updateOnlineStatus, variables })).resolves.toEqual(
+          expect.objectContaining({
+            data: { updateOnlineStatus: true },
+          }),
+        )
+
+        const cypher = 'MATCH (u:User {id: $id}) RETURN u'
+        const result = await neode.cypher(cypher, { id: authenticatedUser.id })
+        const dbUser = neode.hydrateFirst(result, 'u', neode.model('User'))
+        await expect(dbUser.toJson()).resolves.toMatchObject({
+          lastOnlineStatus: 'away',
+          awaySince: expect.any(String),
+        })
+      })
+
+      it('stores the timestamp of the first away call', async () => {
+        await expect(mutate({ mutation: updateOnlineStatus, variables })).resolves.toEqual(
+          expect.objectContaining({
+            data: { updateOnlineStatus: true },
+          }),
+        )
+
+        const cypher = 'MATCH (u:User {id: $id}) RETURN u'
+        const result = await neode.cypher(cypher, { id: authenticatedUser.id })
+        const dbUser = neode.hydrateFirst(result, 'u', neode.model('User'))
+        await expect(dbUser.toJson()).resolves.toMatchObject({
+          lastOnlineStatus: 'away',
+          awaySince: expect.any(String),
+        })
+
+        const awaySince = (await dbUser.toJson()).awaySince
+
+        await expect(mutate({ mutation: updateOnlineStatus, variables })).resolves.toEqual(
+          expect.objectContaining({
+            data: { updateOnlineStatus: true },
+          }),
+        )
+
+        const result2 = await neode.cypher(cypher, { id: authenticatedUser.id })
+        const dbUser2 = neode.hydrateFirst(result2, 'u', neode.model('User'))
+        await expect(dbUser2.toJson()).resolves.toMatchObject({
+          lastOnlineStatus: 'away',
+          awaySince,
+        })
+      })
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/backend/src/schema/resolvers/users.ts b/backend/src/schema/resolvers/users.ts
index 6f79a4ea9..cab0bc8a3 100644
--- a/backend/src/schema/resolvers/users.ts
+++ b/backend/src/schema/resolvers/users.ts
@@ -314,6 +314,37 @@ export default {
         session.close()
       }
     },
+    updateOnlineStatus: async (object, args, context, resolveInfo) => {
+      const { status } = args
+      const {
+        user: { id },
+      } = context
+
+      const CYPHER_AWAY = `
+          MATCH (user:User {id: $id})
+          WITH user,
+          CASE user.lastOnlineStatus
+            WHEN 'away' THEN user.awaySince
+            ELSE toString(datetime())
+          END AS awaySince
+          SET user.awaySince = awaySince
+          SET user.lastOnlineStatus = $status
+        `
+      const CYPHER_ONLINE = `
+          MATCH (user:User {id: $id})
+            SET user.awaySince = null
+            SET user.lastOnlineStatus = $status
+        `
+
+      // Last Online Time is saved as `lastActiveAt`
+      const session = context.driver.session()
+      await session.writeTransaction((transaction) => {
+        // return transaction.run(status === 'away' ? CYPHER_AWAY : CYPHER_ONLINE, { id, status })
+        return transaction.run(status === 'away' ? CYPHER_AWAY : CYPHER_ONLINE, { id, status })
+      })
+
+      return true
+    },
   },
   User: {
     email: async (parent, params, context, resolveInfo) => {
diff --git a/backend/src/schema/types/enum/OnlineStatus.gql b/backend/src/schema/types/enum/OnlineStatus.gql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7827ddb0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/schema/types/enum/OnlineStatus.gql
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+enum OnlineStatus {
+  online
+  away
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/schema/types/type/User.gql b/backend/src/schema/types/type/User.gql
index f406e4e45..70b10aa42 100644
--- a/backend/src/schema/types/type/User.gql
+++ b/backend/src/schema/types/type/User.gql
@@ -224,6 +224,8 @@ type Mutation {
   switchUserRole(role: UserRole!, id: ID!): User
 
   saveCategorySettings(activeCategories: [String]): Boolean
+  
+  updateOnlineStatus(status: OnlineStatus!): Boolean!
 
   requestPasswordReset(email: String!): Boolean!
   resetPassword(email: String!, nonce: String!, newPassword: String!): Boolean!
diff --git a/webapp/graphql/updateOnlineStatus.js b/webapp/graphql/updateOnlineStatus.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ee39b0667
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/graphql/updateOnlineStatus.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import gql from 'graphql-tag'
+
+export const updateOnlineStatus = gql`
+  mutation ($status: OnlineStatus!) {
+    updateOnlineStatus(status: $status)
+  }
+`
diff --git a/webapp/nuxt.config.js b/webapp/nuxt.config.js
index 4e82e9330..9adacd4cc 100644
--- a/webapp/nuxt.config.js
+++ b/webapp/nuxt.config.js
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ export default {
     { src: '~/plugins/vue-observe-visibility.js', ssr: false },
     { src: '~/plugins/v-mapbox.js', mode: 'client' },
     { src: '~/plugins/vue-advanced-chat.js', mode: 'client' },
+    { src: '~/plugins/onlineStatus.js', mode: 'client' },
   ],
 
   router: {
diff --git a/webapp/plugins/onlineStatus.js b/webapp/plugins/onlineStatus.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..81252333c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/plugins/onlineStatus.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import { updateOnlineStatus as updateOnlineStatusMutation } from '~/graphql/updateOnlineStatus.js'
+
+let _app = null
+
+const updateOnlineStatus = async () => {
+  if (!_app.store.getters['auth/isAuthenticated']) {
+    return
+  }
+
+  const status = document.hidden ? 'away' : 'online'
+
+  const client = _app.apolloProvider.defaultClient
+
+  await client.mutate({
+    mutation: updateOnlineStatusMutation,
+    variables: { status },
+  })
+}
+
+export default ({ app }) => {
+  _app = app
+  if (process.client) {
+    window.addEventListener('visibilitychange', updateOnlineStatus)
+    setInterval(updateOnlineStatus, 30000)
+    updateOnlineStatus()
+  }
+}