When you are active on Facebook App, it will show ‘active now’ in Messenger unless you disable active status on messaging platform. So, seeing someone online on Messenger doesn’t necessarily mean they are currently chatting. They may be only active playing games, viewing feeds, or doing other activities on the Facebook app or Facebook.com.
Key Takeaways:
- Messenger shows ‘active now’ when you are active on Facebook App
- You can disable the active status on Messenger to appear offline even when online
- Messenger active status is not always accurate
- Facebook’s last active status is not shown after 24 hours of inactivity
Facebook is a huge social media platform where users interact by sharing their stories, chatting, and video calls. But, it is not without some downside. Many users complain that some people cannot respond to messages even with their status showing active on Messenger. However, being online doesn’t mean someone is on Messenger; they may be using the Facebook app doing other things.
So, if someone is mad at you for ignoring their messages, they may have seen you active on Messenger when in a real sense, you weren’t. This article will explain how active status works on Messenger and how you can disable it. Keep reading!
How active status works on Messenger
Like other social media platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp, Facebook has active status to help users know when their friends and connections are online. So, if your active status is on, your Facebook friends and connections will see a ‘green dot’ or a timestamp showing when you were last active, next to your name on your profile picture. The green dot on Messenger implies you are online either on Facebook.com, Facebook app or Facebook messenger.
However, if you turn off active status on your Facebook messenger, your friends and connections won’t see when you are online on the chat platform. They may still see your active status on the Facebook app if you haven’t turned it off. You won’t be able to see when your friends and connections were active or time stamps when there were last active in places or apps where you have turned off your active status.
There may be delays in updating active status on Facebook. Your friends and connections might see your status still active or recently active long after you leave Messenger.
How accurate is Messenger’s active status?
Facebook is slow in updating the last seen of a profile; thus, Messenger’s active status is not always accurate. Your friends or connections can see your status as active for some minutes after you close the app.
Other reasons your Messenger may show active when in the real sense you aren’t may include:
- You didn’t close Facebook Messenger after you stopped using it.
- Facebook Messenger is still synching your data because you are connected to Wi-Fi or your mobile data is on.
- You forgot to log out from other devices you have used to access your Facebook account
- You signed in to Messenger and Facebook apps simultaneously
- Facebook Messenger is still using background data, thus showing you are still active
- Your account is compromised, and someone is logged in
If you aren’t active on any Facebook platform and any of these reasons are true, your Messenger might be showing active when perhaps you are doing other things.
How to turn off your active status on Facebook Messenger
You can turn off your active status on Facebook Messenger if you do not want your friends and connections to know when you are online. Besides, you will avoid the confusion that may arise when your status shows active when you aren’t.
Follow the steps below to turn off Messenger’s active status:
Step 1: Launch your Facebook Messenger app and tap/click on chats. At the top left corner, click on your profile photo.
Step 2: Click ‘Active status’ and toggle it ‘off’
NOTE:
- When you turn off your active status on Messenger, you won’t see when your friends and connections are online or when they were last active.
- Active status will be disabled on devices and platforms you have turned off your status.
- You can always select friends and connections who can see your active status on Facebook
Steps to select who can see your active status on Facebook
Step 1: Sign in to your Facebook Account
Step 2: At the bottom right corner of the chat box, click on ‘options’
Step 3: Scroll down the menu that appears, and click ‘Turn off Active Status’
Step 4: Several options will pop up on the screen. Click ‘Turn off active status for all contacts except…’ and follow the instructions to choose the friends and connections that can see your active status.
Step 5: Click ‘Okay’ to complete your settings
Why is someone showing active on Messenger but not Facebook?
If you see your friends and connections as active on Messenger but not on Facebook, they probably have disabled active status on the Facebook app. You may also have disabled your active status on Facebook, and you need to enable it to see when others are online.
Why can’t I see the active status of a friend on Facebook Messenger?
The active status lets you see when your friends and connections are online or when they last used Facebook. However, you might not see the ‘last active’ status for all your connections. If you can’t see someone’s status, they may have blocked you, disabled their active status, or not been active on Facebook for more than 24 hours. These are explained below:
1. The person has blocked you
If someone blocks you on Facebook, you won’t see their active status on Messenger. You cannot also send messages or call them. To know if you have been blocked, try sending a message to the suspected connection. The message will be sent, and you will see a hollow icon with a single checkmark next to it. If the icon remains unchanged over time, even if someone has been online, they probably have blocked you.
2. They have disabled their active status on Messenger
Facebook active status is automatically on, though a user can turn it off. If your friend or connection has disabled it, you won’t be able to see it when they are online. You can tell if a person has turned off their status by checking their Facebook activity. If they are updating their profile or recently posted on their wall and their last seen status is still not shown, then probably they have hidden their active status. However, if the person has not logged in to their account longer, you cannot see their status even if they haven’t been disabled.
3. The person has not been on Facebook for more than 24 hours
If a person has been offline for a long time, you won’t be able to see their active status on Messenger. This doesn’t mean they have blocked you or disabled your active status. Facebook doesn’t show the ‘last active’ status for a user who has not logged into their account for an extended time.
4. You have turned off your active status on Messenger
If you turn off your active status on Messenger, you won’t also be able to see when your friends and connections are online. You can turn it on if you want to see others’ statuses.
How long does Messenger show the last active status?
Your friend and connection will see the last active status on your profile on the accounts where your active status is on. However, the last active status will only be shown for 24 hours. If after 24 hours you haven’t logged into your account, people won’t see a time stamp of your last activity next to your profile. For a profile in a group chat, people will see your last active status for 72 hours. When online, people will see a green dot to indicate you are currently active on Facebook.
How can you tell if someone is chatting on Messenger?
You can tell when someone is chatting on Messenger by looking at their profile picture. A green dot will appear on their profile picture if they are online. However, the information is not always accurate as a person can appear active on Messenger even when on the Facebook app or Facebook.com.
Final Take
Facebook, by default, has active status turned on to alert your friends and connections when you are online. However, it can be misleading since it is not always accurate. For instance, when you are active on the Facebook app, it also shows you are active on Messenger even if you have not opened the chat platform. This could send a wrong impression to your friends that you are snubbing their text when you haven’t opened Messenger.
So, you can disable active status on the Messenger app whenever you aren’t using it. You can also choose contacts who can see your active status. Remember turning off active status on the Facebook app doesn’t disable it on Messenger.
References
https://www.facebook.com/help/messenger-app/321774648351848
https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/how-to-turn-off-active-status-on-facebook