May 7, 2024, 6:09 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Not only on WhatsApp, but also on Instagram, you can see who is currently online. The activity status is controversial among many users. Fortunately, it can be easily deactivated. TECHBOOK shows how it’s done.
Information about when someone was last online is something many messaging services, such as Instagram, provide as a matter of course. For some users, this feature is very practical, while others view it critically. For instance, if a message isn’t answered immediately, even though the recipient is online, it can lead to misunderstandings. On the other hand, the online status can also be a helpful indicator of whether it’s worth waiting for a reply in the next few minutes. Like on WhatsApp, you can choose to allow or disable Instagram’s online status as you wish.
How to See Who Is Online on Instagram
Basically, you can only see another person’s activity status on Instagram if you follow each other or are in contact via direct messages. To do this, open your “Messages” via the paper airplane icon. A list of users you’ve recently chatted with will appear. If a green dot is visible next to a user’s profile picture, that person is currently online. If the green dot is not visible, it will indicate when the person was last active on Instagram: a minute ago, three hours ago, or a year ago.
Why is this display important? Especially for Instagram users who use the service for business purposes, the online status can be of interest. Creatives, influencers, or solo entrepreneurs can show how quickly they respond to comments or inquiries. Accounts or users whose last activity was weeks ago are less appealing than someone who is regularly active on Instagram and responds promptly.
How Do I Turn Off the Activity Status?
However, the activity status can also cause frustration or pressure users to respond quickly at all times. And do all followers really need to know that you were online at 3 a.m. or quickly scrolled through the feed during work? To protect your privacy, users can easily deactivate the online status. Here’s how:
- Open the top-down menu (the three lines) in your profile.
- Tap on “Settings” (gear icon).
- In the section “How others can interact with you,” select the sub-item “Messages and Story Replies.”
- Here, the sub-item “Activity Status” leads to a toggle that allows you to deactivate the online status. This applies to both private and professional accounts.
Now no one can see when you were last online or active on Instagram. However, you will also no longer see the status of other Instagram users.
If you have your activity status turned on and still can’t see the status of other Instagram users, there could be several reasons: The other person doesn’t follow you back, or you haven’t exchanged direct messages. Perhaps the other user has also deactivated their activity status. Or the classic reason: The other user has blocked you.