How to Appear Offline on Instagram (Easy Guide)

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By default, everyone can see when you're online on Instagram. Your online status on this platform is shown by a little green dot which announces to the world that you are currently online. 

This might seem like an innocent little feature that should always be enabled. But at rare moments when you want to have a bit of time to yourself, the last thing you want is someone spying on your online status and initiating a conversation you don't even want to engage in. 

If you've secretly wished there was a way to hide your online status, you're not alone. Millions of Instagram users have, at some point, wished to become invisible to their followers. 

Thankfully, enabling this feature is a breeze. So, if you want to comfortably stay online on Instagram without receiving tons of unwanted messages, follow the steps outlined in this article. But first, let's go over what to expect when you tweak your activity settings.

What to Expect When You Appear Offline on Instagram

If you're thinking of appearing offline on Instagram, there are three things you should expect. The first is the obvious fact that nobody will see when you are active on the platform. 

So, you can hide away for as long as you want without anyone realizing you're online. Well, until you blow your cover by sharing a new post, story, or reel. Once you upload any content, your followers will be able to deduce that you recently visited Instagram.

 This brings us to the second thing you should expect when you hide your online status. It hides your last ‘seen’ as well. People will no longer be able to see when you were last online. This is a great tactic to use if you're trying to ignore annoying followers or you're too busy to respond to all the new messages piling up in your DMs.  

 Finally, turning off your active status goes both ways. If you turn off your active status, you won't be able to see the active status of anyone else on Instagram. You also won't be able to see when they were last online. 

So, if you still want to see the online statuses of your followers, appearing offline is not a tactic for you. But if you don't mind staying in the dark, then read on to find out how to appear offline on Instagram.

How to Appear Offline on Instagram

Most Instagram users log into the platform via mobile apps, and only a few people use Instagram on their PC or Mac. Whatever device you're using, the procedure for changing your activity status is easy, safe, and reliable. 

The good news is you don't have to download any third-party apps to achieve the invisibility you seek. You can easily turn off your activity status by changing the privacy settings on your Instagram account.

Method 1: How to Appear Offline on Instagram on Mobile

If you're using the Instagram mobile app on an android or iOS device, follow these procedures to turn off your Instagram activity status.

  1. Launch the Instagram app and navigate to your profile.
  2. Tap the hamburger menu in the top right corner.
  3. Click on "Settings."
  4. Tap "Privacy."
  5. Scroll down the menu and click on "Activity Status." You'll find this tab under "Interactions."
  6. Toggle off your activity status by turning off the "Show Activity Status" option. If the toggle switches from blue to grey, you have successfully changed your online settings.  

Once this is done, you will appear offline until you turn on your activity status again. If you ever decide to appear offline again, you can easily toggle on your activity status by following the same steps.

 Method 2: How to Appear Offline on Instagram on PC

One thing that makes Instagram unique is that this platform has been designed to fit whatever device you are using. 

So, if you're accessing Instagram via a desktop browser, you'll find that the website contains new features which make it similar to the mobile app, thus enhancing user experience across all devices. 

You can easily toggle off your activity status on your desktop browser by following the steps outlined below:

  1. Visit Instagram on your desktop browser and log in to your account.
  2. Navigate to your profile by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner.
  3. Click on "Settings" from the drop-down menu.
  4. In the left navigation panel, click on "Privacy and Security."
  5. Untick "Show Activity Status." You'll find this option under "Activity Status."

Toggling off your activity status on PC is that easy! If you ever decide to turn your activity status back on, you can easily do this by following the same steps. But instead of unticking the "Show Activity Status" option, you'll have to tick it in this case.

Method 3: How to Appear Offline on Instagram for Just One Person

Many Instagram users don't know this, but there is actually a way to appear offline for just one person, or a select few. So, instead of turning off your activity status just to avoid a few people, you can simply restrict these people. 

When you restrict somebody on Instagram, they won't be able to see if you are online, and they also won't be able to see if you have read their messages. 

You can restrict anyone on Instagram by following the steps below:

  1. Open the Instagram app or website and locate the user you want to restrict.
  2. Click on the three-dot menu in the top left corner of their profile and select "Restrict."

You can restrict as many users as you want. And, in case you're wondering if they'll receive a notification from Instagram, the answer is no. Instagram will not notify them that they have been restricted, so this will be a little secret between you and Instagram.

Final Thoughts

Getting bombarded with unwanted messages when you're online can be a nightmare. And, thankfully, Instagram provides a way out, so you don't have to download a third-party app which can pose a threat. 

Toggling off your activity status is easy, safe, and convenient. So the next time you want to hide away from the chaos, head over to your settings and try out this simple fix.