Buzz
Today, Mytour will guide you through the steps to hide your online status on Facebook Messenger, as well as how to conceal your list of active contacts. Please note that the "Last Active" timestamp will still reflect the moment you went offline, and this timestamp cannot be hidden. To appear offline, you must be inactive on both the Messenger app and the Facebook website.
Steps
Hide on Mobile
Open Messenger. Tap on the Messenger app icon, which features a white lightning bolt on a blue speech bubble. The Messenger home screen will open if you're already logged in.
- If you're not logged in, enter your phone number, tap Continue, and input your password.
Tap on the People icon at the bottom of the screen (iPhone) or the top of the screen (Android). A list of currently online users will appear.
Tap on the Active tab. This option is located near the top of the screen, just below the search bar.
- If the Active tab is blue, it means the tab is already open.
- On Android, the toggle will appear in blue or teal instead of green.
- The "Last Active" timestamp displayed next to your name when you go offline will reflect the moment you toggled this setting.
Hide on Desktop
Open Facebook. Go to https://www.facebook.com/ in your web browser. The News Feed will appear if you're already logged in.
- If you're not logged in, enter your email address (or phone number) and password before proceeding.
Click on the Messenger icon, which looks like a speech bubble with a lightning bolt, located at the top right corner of the Facebook page. A dropdown menu will appear.
Click on See All in Messenger. This option is located at the bottom left corner of the Messenger dropdown menu.
Click on Settings at the top of the dropdown menu.
- The "Last Active" timestamp displayed next to your name when you go offline will reflect the moment you clicked this toggle.
Hide the Active Now List
Open Facebook. Go to https://www.facebook.com/ in your web browser. The News Feed will appear if you're already logged in.
- If you're not logged in, enter your email address (or phone number) and password before proceeding.
- You cannot hide the Active Now list on the mobile Messenger app.
Ensure the sidebar is open. If there's no list of online contacts on the right side of the page, it means the Active Now list is hidden.
Click on Hide Sidebar. This option is located in the middle of the menu. The Facebook chat sidebar will disappear from the left side of the screen, along with all green "Active Now" dots and associated usernames.
- To reopen the sidebar, click on the Chat bar at the bottom right corner of the Facebook window.
Tips
- The "Active Now" section may occasionally reappear if a new contact comes online.
Warnings
- You cannot remove the "Last Active" text that appears when you go offline.
- You cannot hide the "Active Now" section without disabling the Chat sidebar on the desktop version of Messenger.
