How To Appear Offline In Messenger

Do you want to appear as if you’re offline to your friends and contacts in Messenger? Or do you want to dissuade random people from messaging your account? Either way, we’re here to offer our help. In our guide below, we’ll show you how to turn off your active status on Messenger. Whether you’re using their phone or computer, we got you covered.

By default, Messenger shows whenever you’re active on their platform to your friends and contacts on the app. You’ll show up on their active contacts list, and they’ll see a green dot beside your name whenever you’re online.

While appearing online can help other people know if you’re active for a quick chat, some people prefer to use the app without random people messaging them from time to time. Thankfully, Messenger allows its users to turn off their active status in the mobile or web app.

Although people can still message you when you turn off your active status, you don’t have to deal with the messages you receive right away. You can even ignore the people you don’t know entirely.

With that in mind, here’s our guide on how to appear offline in Messenger.

How to turn off your active status in Messenger

If you don’t want anyone to know that you’re online on Messenger, you can turn off your active status on the app. You have the option to appear offline to all your chats or a selected few only.

You can turn off your active status on Messenger whether you’re on your computer or mobile device. Follow our tutorials below to learn how to do it from both devices.

On your computer:

1. Using your preferred web browser, visit Messenger and sign in to your account.
2. Tap the three horizontal dots on the top-left side of your screen and select Preferences on the menu.
   
   
3. Click the “Turn Off Active Status” option right below your display name.
   
   
4. Choose whether to appear offline to all contacts or a selected few. You can also choose to appear online to some of your contacts only.
   
   
5. After choosing which option you want to use, click Okay to apply the changes.

Turning off your active status lasts until you change your settings. However, please note that this option doesn’t reflect on all devices where you have your account signed in. As such, you need to change your preferences whenever you use Messenger on another device.

You can also appear offline through the Facebook web app. All you have to do is click the Messenger icon on the top-right side of the screen, click More options (three horizontal dots) and select “Turn Off Active Status” on the menu.

On your mobile device:

1. Open the Messenger app from your home screen or app drawer and sign in to your account.
2. Tap your profile icon on the top-left corner of the chats list.
   
   
3. Tap Active Status under the Profile section.
   
   
4. Toggle the “Show when you’re active” option to turn it off.
   
   
5. Tap “Turn off” on the pop-up notification to confirm your decision.
   
   

Once you turn off your active status on Messenger, you won’t be able to see whether you’re friends are online on the platform or not. This feature works both ways, like in most messaging apps out there.

To wrap things up

Now that you know how to turn off your active status on Messenger, you can go ahead and appear offline to all your friends on the app. On the other hand, you can also choose to apply this feature to some of your contacts only.

Always remember that toggling your active status on Messenger works both ways. When you turn off the feature, you won’t be able to see whether you’re friends are online or not as well.

That’s it! For more tips, tricks, and tutorials, visit our site frequently, and check our daily posts or updates.

Featured Image