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Appear Offline on Instagram: 2 Easy Ways to Hide Your Status Explore this Article methods 1 Using the Mobile App 2 Using a Computer Other Sections Video Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Co-authored by Nicole Levine, MFA Reviewed by Candace Gasper
Last Updated: January 27, 2026 Fact Checked
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This article was reviewed by Candace Gasper and by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Candace Gasper is a Social Media & Digital Marketing Consultant and the Owner of Digital Candy, a social media agency. With over seven years of professional experience, Candace is an expert in social media and content creation, specializing in working with local businesses to share their narratives and help them expand their reach. Candace received her Bachelor of Science in Merchandising, Apparels, and Textiles from the University of Kentucky. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 179,881 times.
Did you know that your friends can see when you're actively using Instagram? By default, a green dot appears next to your profile photo any time you're using the app.[1]XResearch source And when you're not active, people you've chatted with can see when you were last active just by looking at their inboxes. If you'd rather nobody know when you're aimlessly scrolling through Instagram, there's an easy way to appear offline. This wikiHow article will walk you through hiding your activity status on the Instagram app (Android, iPhone, & iPad) and on the web.
Tips to Appear Offline on Instagram
Tap the profile icon or your profile photo.
Tap the three-line menu in the top-right corner.
Tap the “Settings” button on the menu.
Tap the “Privacy” button near the top of the menu.
Tap “Activity Status” at the bottom of the “Interactions” section.
Tap the “Show Activity Status” button to switch it off.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 2:
Using the Mobile App
1 Tap the profile icon or your profile photo. You'll see either a small version of your profile photo or an outline of a person at the bottom-right corner of Instagram.
2 Tap the three-line menu ☰. It's the three horizontal lines at the top-right corner.[2]XResearch source Advertisement
3 Tap Settings. This is the gear icon on the menu.[3]XResearch source
4 Tap Privacy. This option has a lock icon and is near the top of the menu.
5 Tap Activity Status. It's near the bottom of the "Interactions" section.
6 Tap the "Show Activity Status" switch to turn it off . If the switch is in the On position, anyone can see when you're active on Instagram. Toggling off this switch disables your activity status and makes it look as if you're offline, even when you're not.[4]XResearch source
Turning off your activity status doesn't disable read receipts. This means that even though you now appear offline, people you've chatted with via direct messages can still see when you've seen their messages or are actively typing a response.[5]XResearch source
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 2:
Using a Computer
1 Click your profile photo at the top-right corner of Instagram.com. If you're using Instagram on a computer, it's easy to disable your activity status to appear offline.
2 Click Settings. You'll see this on the menu. This expands the Edit Profile window, as well as other settings you can manage.[6]XResearch source
3 Click the Privacy and security tab. You'll see this in the left panel.
4 Remove the checkmark from "Activity Status." As long as the checkbox is blank, nobody will know when you're actively using Instagram, nor will they know when you were last active.[7]XResearch source
Even though you now appear offline, any friends you're chatting with in your direct messages can still see when you're actively typing a response. They'll also be able to tell when you've seen their message.[8]XResearch source
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Tips
It's not possible to disable read receipts for Instagram direct messages. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
Turning off your activity status is an account-wide change—if you turn it off on your phone or tablet, it'll stay turned off when you sign in on another phone, tablet, or computer. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1
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References
↑ https://help.instagram.com/906123729538696
↑ https://help.instagram.com/1164377657035425
↑ https://help.instagram.com/1164377657035425
↑ https://help.instagram.com/1164377657035425
↑ https://help.instagram.com/906123729538696
↑ https://help.instagram.com/1164377657035425
↑ https://help.instagram.com/1164377657035425
↑ https://help.instagram.com/906123729538696
About This Article
Reviewed by: Candace Gasper Social Media & Digital Marketing Consultant This article was reviewed by Candace Gasper and by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Candace Gasper is a Social Media & Digital Marketing Consultant and the Owner of Digital Candy, a social media agency. With over seven years of professional experience, Candace is an expert in social media and content creation, specializing in working with local businesses to share their narratives and help them expand their reach. Candace received her Bachelor of Science in Merchandising, Apparels, and Textiles from the University of Kentucky. This article has been viewed 179,881 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 4Updated: January 27, 2026 Views: 179,881 Categories: Personal Profiles In other languages Portuguese Dutch Italian Indonesian Spanish Japanese
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Reviewed by: Candace Gasper Social Media & Digital Marketing Consultant This article was reviewed by Candace Gasper and by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Candace Gasper is a Social Media & Digital Marketing Consultant and the Owner of Digital Candy, a social media agency. With over seven years of professional experience, Candace is an expert in social media and content creation, specializing in working with local businesses to share their narratives and help them expand their reach. Candace received her Bachelor of Science in Merchandising, Apparels, and Textiles from the University of Kentucky. This article has been viewed 179,881 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 4 Updated: January 27, 2026 Views: 179,881 Categories: Personal Profiles In other languages Portuguese Dutch Italian Indonesian Spanish Japanese 
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1 Tap the profile icon or your profile photo. You'll see either a small version of your profile photo or an outline of a person at the bottom-right corner of Instagram. 
2 Tap the three-line menu ☰. It's the three horizontal lines at the top-right corner.[2] Advertisement 
3 Tap Settings. This is the gear icon on the menu.[3] 
4 Tap Privacy. This option has a lock icon and is near the top of the menu. 
5 Tap Activity Status. It's near the bottom of the "Interactions" section. 
6 Tap the "Show Activity Status" switch to turn it off 
. If the switch is in the On position, anyone can see when you're active on Instagram. Toggling off this switch disables your activity status and makes it look as if you're offline, even when you're not.[4] 
1 Click your profile photo at the top-right corner of Instagram.com. If you're using Instagram on a computer, it's easy to disable your activity status to appear offline. 
2 Click Settings. You'll see this on the menu. This expands the Edit Profile window, as well as other settings you can manage.[6] 
3 Click the Privacy and security tab. You'll see this in the left panel. 
4 Remove the checkmark from "Activity Status." As long as the checkbox is blank, nobody will know when you're actively using Instagram, nor will they know when you were last active.[7]