How to Appear Offline on Instagram?

Ever wish you could scroll through your Instagram feed without anyone knowing? We have all been there. That green dot next to your profile photo, indicating your active status, can sometimes feel a bit intrusive. 

Imagine a scenario where you can scroll through your feed, explore posts, and connect with others, all while maintaining a cloak of invisibility. Within the “Privacy” section of your Instagram settings, you will find the gateway to toggling off your activity status. It is not only about concealing your presence; it’s about empowering yourself with control.

Being able to appear offline on Instagram offers a sense of control over your social media presence. Whether you are in the mood for some discreet browsing or just need a break from constant notifications, we have got you covered. In this guide, we will unveil quick and easy methods to master the art of appearing offline on Instagram. 

Quick Answer:

To appear offline on Instagram, follow these steps:

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile.
2. Tap the three lines in the top right corner of the screen.
3. Scroll down and tap on Settings.
4. Tap on Privacy.
5. Scroll down and tap on Activity Status.
6. Toggle off the switch next to Show Activity Status.

Updated Methods of Appear Offline on Instagram

There are two ways to appear offline on Instagram:

• Turn off your activity status: This will prevent people from seeing when you were last active on the app. To do this, go to your profile, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select “Settings.” Then, tap “Privacy” and scroll down to “Activity Status.” Tap the switch next to “Show activity status” to turn it off.
• Use Airplane mode:  This will disconnect your device from the internet, so people won’t be able to see when you’re active on Instagram. To do this, go to your device’s settings and toggle on Airplane mode.

Please note that if you turn off your activity status, you will also not be able to see when other people were last active on Instagram. Additionally, if you use Airplane mode, you will not be able to receive notifications or messages from Instagram.

Here are some of the reasons why you might want to appear offline on Instagram:

• You want to focus on something else and not be interrupted by notifications.
• You want to avoid someone who is constantly messaging you.
• You want to take a break from Instagram without having to explain yourself to your followers.

READ MORE: How Much Does Instagram Pay for 1 Million Views?

How to Turn Off Active on Instagram?

Instagram’s “Active Status” feature allows your followers and those you have messaged to see when you were last online on the platform. 

While this can be helpful for staying connected, there are times when you might prefer to browse Instagram without broadcasting your online presence. 

Fortunately, you can easily turn off your active status on both the Instagram website and the mobile app, ensuring you have the privacy you desire. In this guide, we will walk you through the process with easy-to-follow steps.

Step 1: Launch Instagram

Open the Instagram app on your smartphone or tablet. Ensure that you are logged in with your account credentials.

Step 2: Go to Your Profile

Tap on the profile icon, usually located at the bottom right corner of the screen. This will take you to your Instagram profile.

Step 3: Access Settings

In your profile, look for the three horizontal lines or the gear icon (⚙️) usually found in the top right corner of the screen. Tap on it to access the Instagram settings.

Step 4: Navigate to Privacy Settings

Scroll down the settings menu until you find “Privacy.” Tap on it to open privacy-related options.

Step 5: Open Activity Status

Inside the Privacy settings, locate “Activity Status” or “Show Activity Status” (the wording may vary depending on app updates). Tap on this option to proceed.

Step 6: Disable Activity Status

• On the “Activity Status” page, you will see a toggle switch. By default, it should be turned on, indicating that your Active status is visible to your followers. 
• Tap the toggle switch to turn it off. Once disabled, the switch will appear grayed out.

Step 7: Confirm Deactivation

A pop-up confirmation message may appear, informing you that disabling activity status will prevent you from seeing other users’ activity as well. Tap “Turn Off” to proceed.

Step 8: Verify Status Change

Once you have completed the steps above, go back to your profile page and check if the green dot that indicates your active status has disappeared. If it’s gone, that means you have successfully turned off Active on Instagram.

Appear Offline on Instagram Android

Always ensure you are using the latest version of the Instagram app to access all the available features and settings.

Open Instagram App: Launch the Instagram app on your Android device by tapping its icon.

Access Your Profile: Tap on the profile icon or your profile photo. You will see either a small version of your profile photo or an outline of a person at the bottom-right corner of Instagram.

Open the Menu: Tap the three-line menu ☰ at the top-right corner of the screen. This will open the menu with various options.

Go to Privacy Settings: Scroll down in the menu and look for “Settings.” Tap on it to access the settings page.

Locate Activity Status: In the “Settings” page, look for the “Privacy” section. Tap on “Privacy.”

Turn Off Activity Status: Within the “Privacy” section, locate the “Activity Status” option. Tap on it.

Disable Show Activity Status: You will see a toggle button next to “Show Activity Status.” Tap the toggle to turn it off. When the toggle turns grey, it means your activity status is now hidden, and you will appear offline to others.

READ MORE: How to Stop Instagram from Saving Posts to Camera Roll?

Appear Offline on Instagram iPhone

If you want to appear offline on Instagram while browsing the platform, you can easily hide your activity status. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it on iPhone devices:

Step 1: Update Instagram App

Ensure that your Instagram app is updated to the latest version. If not, go to the App Store and check for updates. Download and install any available updates for Instagram.

Step 2: Launch Instagram App

Tap the Instagram app icon on your iPhone’s home screen to open the app.

Step 3: Access Your Profile

At the bottom right corner of the app, tap on your profile icon. You will be taken to your profile page.

Step 4: Access Settings

On your profile page, tap on the three-dot icon (More) located at the top right corner of the screen. This will open the Settings menu.

Step 5: Navigate to Privacy Settings

In the Settings menu, scroll down and find the “Settings & Privacy” section. Tap on “Privacy.”

Step 6: Find Activity Status

Within the “Privacy” section, look for the “Activity Status” option. Tap on it to access the activity status settings.

Step 7: Disable the Activity Status

You will see a toggle switch next to “Show Activity Status.” Tap the toggle to turn it off. When the toggle is off and appears grey, it means your activity status is now hidden, and you will appear offline to others.

Step 8: Verify the Changes

A pop-up message may appear to confirm if you want to hide your activity status. Tap “Turn Off” to confirm.

Appear Offline on Instagram PC

I will provide a step-by-step guide on how to appear offline on Instagram using a PC.

Access Instagram on your PC: Open your preferred web browser and go to the Instagram website.

Log in to your Account: If you are not already logged in, enter your username and password to log in to your Instagram account.

Go to your Profile: Once you are logged in, click on your profile picture or username at the top right corner of the screen to access your profile.

Open Settings: Click on the gear icon (three-dot icon) next to your profile picture and bio. This will open a dropdown menu.

Access Account Settings: From the dropdown menu, click on “Settings” to access your account settings.

Navigate to Privacy Settings: In the account settings, you will see various options. Look for “Privacy” and click on it to access privacy-related settings.

Find Activity Status: In the Privacy settings, you will find an option called “Activity Status.” Click on it to view the activity status settings.

Disable “Show Activity Status”: By default, the “Show Activity Status” toggle is turned on, which lets others see when you were last active. To appear offline, simply toggle this option off. Once it’s off, others won’t be able to see when you were last active on Instagram.

Confirm Your Choice: A confirmation dialog may appear to confirm whether you want to turn off the activity status. Click “Turn Off” to confirm and complete the process.

How to be Invisible on Instagram Stories?

Instagram Stories provide a fun and engaging way to share moments with your followers. However, there might be times when you prefer to maintain your privacy and be invisible while viewing others’ Stories. 

This guide will walk you through the steps to stay hidden while viewing Instagram Stories.

Accessing Instagram in Incognito Mode

• Open your preferred web browser and enable the private or incognito mode.
• Navigate to Instagram’s website (www.instagram.com) and log in with your credentials.
• Disabling ‘Seen’ Feature
• Using a web browser in incognito mode, view the Story you wish to watch.
• Before the Story ends, close the incognito tab or browser window. This prevents the ‘Seen’ notification from appearing to the Story owner.

Airplane Mode Method

• Open the Instagram app on your mobile device and log in.
• Enable airplane mode on your device to disconnect it from the internet.
• View the desired Stories.
• Close the Instagram app and disable airplane mode.
• This method prevents Instagram from sending the ‘Seen’ notification.

Restricting Certain Accounts

• Instagram allows you to restrict specific accounts from seeing your Stories.
• Go to your profile, tap on the three horizontal lines (menu), and select “Settings.”
• Choose “Privacy,” then “Story.”
• Add the accounts you want to restrict to the “Hide Story From” list.

Create a Private Instagram Account

• If staying invisible is a primary concern, consider creating a private account.
• This way, only approved followers can view your Stories, and you can control who sees your content.

Utilize the “Close Friends” Feature

• Instagram offers a “Close Friends” list that allows you to share Stories exclusively with selected followers.
• Create a customized list of close friends with whom you want to share your Stories.

READ MORE: If You Search Someone on Instagram Will They Know 2024? 

How Long Does Instagram Show the Last Active?

Instagram shows the last active status for 24 hours. If someone was active on Instagram within the last 8 hours, their status will show as “Active x minutes/hours ago.” 

If they were active between 8 and 24 hours ago, their status will show as “Active today.” After 24 hours, their status will change to “Active yesterday.”

There are a few exceptions to this rule. If someone has their activity status turned off, you will not be able to see when they were last active. Additionally, if someone opens Instagram but does not do anything, their status will not be updated.

Does Active Now on Instagram Mean Chatting?

Not necessarily. “Active now” on Instagram simply means that the person is using the app at the moment. It does not mean or show if that person is chatting with someone or not.

There are a few reasons why someone might be “active now” on Instagram without being in a chat. For example, they might be:

• Scrolling through their feed.
• Looking at Stories.
• Checking their notifications.
• Editing a post.
• Working on a new Story.

Even if someone is in a chat, they might not be actively chatting. They might be typing a message, but they haven’t hit send yet. They might also be reading a message that someone else sent them.

The only way to know for sure if someone is chatting with you is to send them a message and see if they respond.

Here are some other things to keep in mind about the “active now” status on Instagram:

It’s not always accurate: The “active now” status is based on when someone last used the app. If they open the app and then close it without doing anything, their status will still show as “active now.”

It doesn’t show if someone is using another app: If someone is using another app, such as Facebook Messenger, their status will still show as “active now” on Instagram.

You can turn it off: If you don’t want people to see when you’re active on Instagram, you can turn off your activity status. To do this, go to your profile, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select “Settings.” Then, tap “Privacy” and scroll down to “Activity Status.” Tap the switch next to “Show activity status” to turn it off.

Final Words

If you wish to appear offline on Instagram and hide your activity status, there are a few steps you can take to achieve this. Firstly, you can disable the “Show Activity Status” option in your account settings, which will prevent others from seeing when you were last active. 

Secondly, you can turn off your internet connection or enable airplane mode on your device, which will effectively disconnect you from Instagram and prevent others from seeing your activity. Keep in mind that while these methods can help you appear offline, they also limit your own access to Instagram’s features. 

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