Facebook is quite open nigh its goals: the visitor dreams of a world in which everyone is continued at all times. Perhaps that'due south why it's so difficult to appear offline on Facebook. The very thought of "offline" or "invisible" is the antithesis of everything the social network believes in.

Yet, existence "invisible" isn't for everyone. Thankfully, it'south possible to maintain a veil of privacy while still letting your closest friends and family know that you're available to talk.

Here'southward how to decide which Facebook friends run across you online and which don't...

How Do People Run across Who's Online on Facebook?

facebook online dot active status

When it comes to showing your online status on Facebook and Messenger, the company uses something chosen Active Condition.

Active Condition appears as a green dot next to your profile picture on Facebook and Messenger when you're online or have been recently active.

The information Meta gives on Agile Status is a chip unclear, differing according to the device you lot use Facebook on.

On its help commodity for Active Status on figurer, the company notes:

The settings y'all cull volition exist updated everywhere you use Meta products, including where you lot haven't nevertheless changed your Active Condition.

But for the aforementioned aid article, switched to the Android app aid, the company notes:

When yous turn Active Status off, you'll however appear active or recently active from any other places where you're using Facebook or Messenger, unless you plough off Active Status in those places, too.

We presume that Active Condition audience settings on computer utilise to all computer sessions. However, your online status settings need to be changed individually for every device on the mobile app.

Agile Status also has different settings on the desktop browser version of Facebook and the Facebook app. On the browser version, yous tin can edit your Active Status settings to allow merely specific people to see you online.

However, on the mobile app, you can only turn Active Condition on or off—with no choice to select specific people or lists.

Here's how to adjust your Active Condition settings so that only certain people tin encounter you online...

How to Change Who Can See You Online on Facebook

To alter the specific people who tin can see yous online on Facebook, you should adjust your Active Status settings on the browser version of the platform.

Still, information technology'due south unclear whether these settings will apply if you use the Facebook app to log into the social media site. So if you really don't desire certain people to see y'all online, we recommend switching off your Active Status on the app (which we will testify you lot after in this tutorial).

So how exercise y'all edit your active list?

To change your Agile Condition settings on Facebook, follow these steps...

  1. On the bar to the correct, where your Contacts are shown, select the button with 3 horizontal dots for Options.
  2. In the dropdown bill of fare, select Plough off Active Status.
    facebook browser turn off active status
  3. This volition bring up a popup where you tin can select your options: Turn off Active Status for all contacts, Turn off active status for all contacts except, or Plough off Agile Status for only some contacts.
    active status settings facebook
  4. Select whichever setting y'all adopt, enter names or lists into the text box, and select OK to salve the settings.

If you choose to Plough off active condition for all contacts except, select the specific people or lists you want to meet you online.

If yous choose to Plough off Active Status for but some contacts, select the people or lists you don't want to meet y'all online. For example, you may want to add your restricted list here, every bit well as lists such as business contacts or people you have on your friends list just considering yous didn't desire to offend them by rejecting their friend asking.

How to Switch Off Facebook Online Status Completely

And so what if you don't want anyone to meet you online on Facebook? You can appear offline or invisible on Facebook at all times if yous want to.

You lot can switch off your Active Condition completely on the browser version of Facebook by selecting Turn off Active Status for all contacts.

When it comes to the mobile app, you only have the option to turn your Active Status on or off—there are no edited or custom options available.

To change your agile condition on the Facebook mobile app, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Messenger icon to the top right of your screen.
  2. Select your profile picture show in the Chats carte du jour.
  3. Tap on the Active Status tab.
  4. Toggle the options for Bear witness when you're active and Evidence when you're agile together to off.
  5. When Facebook asks yous to confirm, select Turn Off.

Switching off your Active Status as well prevents you from seeing when other people are online.

In our test, switching off Active Condition on the mobile app did non carry over to the desktop browser version of Facebook.

You can also switch off your online condition on the Windows Store app.

How to End Someone Seeing Someone Seeing You Online on Facebook

If y'all're worried almost Facebook non turning off Agile Condition for all your sessions and really don't want someone specific to see you online, a surefire way to prevent this is to block them from messaging you.

This is different to a full Facebook cake.

Every bit Facebook notes:

Blocking messages from someone is different from blocking them on Facebook. If y'all block letters from someone, but you don't block them on Facebook, you'll nevertheless be able to run across their Facebook profile.

If you block messages from someone on Facebook, they likewise can't encounter when you're online.

To cake messages from a contact, and therefore forestall them from seeing whether y'all're online, follow these steps:

  1. Open up a conversation with the contact.
  2. Select their name to bring upward a carte of settings.
  3. Select Block.
    facebook menu block messages
  4. Cull the option for Block letters and calls.
    block messages facebook

This volition prevent the person from seeing your online status. Information technology will besides prevent them from messaging you and calling you on Facebook.

Control Who Sees You Online on Facebook

Online privacy and Facebook are far from synonymous. Merely in that location are means you tin can gain more control over who can see yous online on the platform—and whether y'all appear online at all.

Apply the settings in this commodity to regain some privacy when it comes to whether or not your contact list can run across if y'all're online.

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