Let’s learn the process of turning off your Activity Status on both the Facebook app and Messenger across various devices.
Facebook’s Activity Status feature allows your friends and connections to see when you’re online or were recently active. While this can be a useful feature for staying connected, many users prefer to keep their online presence more private. If you’re looking for ways to appear offline on Facebook or hide your online status, you’re in the right place.
What is Active Status on Facebook?
Active Status on Facebook and Messenger is a feature that shows your friends and connections when you’re online, actively chatting with someone, or were recently active. When you turn on Active Status, a green dot will appear next to your profile picture on Facebook or Messenger, indicating that you’re available. If you’re actively chatting with someone, a timestamp will appear, letting others know when you were last active.
While this feature is useful for many, it can also be a bit intrusive for those who want more control over their online presence. Fortunately, Facebook gives you the option to turn off your Activity Status at any time. For more details on how to manage your settings, you can check out the official Facebook guide on Activity Status.
Can You Turn Off Activity Status on Facebook?
Yes, you can turn off your Activity Status on Facebook and Messenger. Turning it off means that your friends will no longer see when you’re active or were recently active. However, it’s important to note that Facebook and Messenger are separate apps, and you need to turn off your Activity Status on both platforms if you want to appear offline on both.
If you only turn off Active Status on one app (like Messenger), you may still appear active on Facebook, or vice versa. Therefore, to ensure your privacy, you must disable Active Status on both Facebook and Messenger if you don’t want to show when you’re online.
How to Turn Off Your Active Status on Facebook in 2025
How to Turn Off Activity Status on Facebook Desktop
If you’re using Facebook on a desktop computer, follow these simple steps to turn off your Activity Status:
- Log into Facebook: Open Facebook in your preferred browser and log in to your account.
- Click on Messenger: On the top right corner of the page, click the Messenger icon.
- Open Options: Next to the “Chats” section, click on the “Options” icon (three dots).
- Turn Off Active Status: You’ll see an option labeled “Active Status: ON” or “Active Status: OFF.” Click this, and a toggle will appear next to your Active Status.
- Confirm: Click the toggle to turn off your Activity Status, then click “Save.”
This will disable your Activity Status on Facebook and Messenger for desktop.
How to Turn Off Activity Status on Facebook App (iOS/Android)
For those using the Facebook app on mobile, here’s how you can appear offline by turning off your Activity Status:
For Android:
- Open Facebook App: Launch the Facebook app and log in.
- Go to Settings: Tap on the three horizontal lines (Menu) in the top-right corner.
- Navigate to Settings: Scroll down and tap on “Settings & Privacy,” then select “Settings.”
- Find Active Status: Under “Audience and Visibility,” tap “Active Status.”
- Toggle Active Status: Turn off the toggle next to “Show when you’re active.”
This will disable your Activity Status on the Facebook app for Android.
For iPhone:
- Open Facebook App: Launch the Facebook app and log in.
- Go to Settings: Tap on the three horizontal lines (Menu) in the bottom-right corner.
- Navigate to Settings: Scroll down and tap “Settings & Privacy,” then select “Settings.”
- Find Active Status: Under “Audience and Visibility,” tap “Active Status.”
- Toggle Active Status: Tap the toggle next to “Show when you’re active” to turn it off.
Now, your Activity Status will be hidden on Facebook for iPhone.
How to Turn Off Active Status on Facebook Messenger
Turn Off Activity Status on Messenger Desktop
If you want to hide your Activity Status on Messenger, follow these steps:
- Open Messenger on Desktop: Go to Messenger.com and log in.
- Click Profile Picture: In the bottom-left corner, click your profile picture.
- Go to Preferences: Select “Preferences” from the menu.
- Toggle Active Status: You’ll see an option for Active Status. Click the toggle next to “Active Status: On” or “Active Status: Off.”
- Save Settings: Click “Save” to confirm your changes.
Now, you’ll no longer appear online or show your last active time on Messenger.
Turn Off Activity Status on Messenger App (iOS/Android)
Here’s how to turn off your Activity Status on the Messenger app for mobile devices:
For Android:
- Open Messenger App: Launch the Messenger app on your Android device.
- Go to Settings: Tap your profile picture in the top left corner.
- Select Active Status: Scroll down and tap on “Active Status.”
- Turn Off Active Status: Toggle off the option for “Show when you’re active.”
For iPhone:
- Open Messenger App: Launch the Messenger app on your iPhone.
- Go to Settings: Tap on your profile picture in the top left corner.
- Select Active Status: Scroll down and tap on “Active Status.”
- Turn Off Active Status: Toggle off the option for “Show when you’re active.”
Once you turn off your Active Status on Messenger, you won’t show as online or recently active.
Troubleshooting Active Status
Even after turning off your Activity Status on Facebook and Messenger, you might still appear online or recently active due to app sync delays, system glitches, or overlooked settings. If you’re experiencing issues where you or someone else still shows as active despite disabling the feature, try the following solutions:
Refresh the App or Web Page: On mobile, close the Facebook or Messenger app completely and reopen it. On desktop, refresh the browser tab or restart your browser if you’re using Facebook.com or Messenger.com.
Log Out and Log Back In: Sometimes, changes don’t register immediately across devices. Logging out and then back in can help refresh your account settings.
Clear Cache and App Data: On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Facebook or Messenger > Storage, then tap Clear Cache. If needed, you can also tap “Clear Data,” but note that this will log you out. On iPhone, uninstalling and reinstalling the app is the best way to clear cached data.
Update the App: Using an outdated version of Facebook or Messenger can lead to glitches. Visit the App Store or Google Play Store to check for updates and install the latest version.
Check Active Status on All Devices: You may have disabled Active Status on one app (like Facebook) but left it enabled on another (like Messenger). To appear offline consistently, make sure you disable Active Status on both apps and on all devices you use, including desktops, phones, and tablets.
Check Facebook Lite or Third-Party Apps: If you use Facebook Lite or are logged into your account via a third-party app or browser extension, make sure Active Status is also turned off in those environments.
Understand Delay Behavior: There may be a slight delay in how Facebook reflects changes to Active Status. The green dot or “last seen” timestamp might remain visible for a few minutes even after you go offline.
What If You Can’t See Someone Else’s Status: If someone else’s Activity Status is not visible to you, they may have turned it off, they may have blocked you, or their privacy settings may prevent their status from being shown.
Reinstall the App: If you’re still experiencing issues, uninstall and reinstall the Facebook or Messenger app to fix potential errors in the app’s settings or data.
By following these troubleshooting tips, you can better manage how your Active Status appears—or doesn’t appear—across Facebook and Messenger platforms.
Conclusion: Preventing Others from Seeing When You’re Active on Facebook
Turning off your Activity Status on Facebook and Messenger is a great way to maintain privacy and control your online presence. Whether you’re using Facebook on a desktop or mobile device, the process is simple and easy to follow. Remember to turn off your Activity Status on both Facebook and Messenger if you want to appear offline across all platforms.
By following these steps, you can enjoy a more private and uninterrupted experience on Facebook and Messenger, without worrying about others seeing when you’re online.
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