Facebook is the quintessential social network, but you may not always feel like being social every time you log in to your Facebook account. Whether it's because you don't have the energy or the time to engage with friends, you do have the option to browse Facebook without anyone knowing you're online.

Facebook Feature
The way to achieve this is by turning off your "Active Status," which can be done within the Facebook mobile app or on the Facebook website. The same global setting also lives in the Facebook Messenger app, allowing you to check your latest messages without friends jostling for your attention while you do. Keep reading to learn how it's done.

Disable Active Status on Facebook Website

  1. In a browser, log in to Facebook and then click the Messenger icon the top-right corner of the page.
  2. Click the ellipsis (three dots) icon at the top of the chats window.
  3. Click Active Status.
  4. Toggle off the switch next to Active Status: ON to disable it.

Facebook

Note that there are a couple of additional options in the Active Status window that allow you to appear as active for some friends, but not others, and vice versa. Simply tap the edit button to select which friends you want to include in either list.

Disable Active Status in Facebook App

  1. Launch the Facebook app and tap the menu tab (three lines) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
  2. Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy to expand this section.
  3. Tap Settings.
    Facebook

  4. Scroll down, and under "Audience and visibility," tap Active Status.
  5. Toggle off the switch next to Show when you're active.
    Facebook

Disable Active Status in Facebook Messenger

  1. Launch the Facebook Messenger app and tap your circular profile picture in the top-left corner of the screen.
  2. Tap Active Status.
  3. Toggle off the switch next to Show when you're active.

Facebook

Note that when you turn off your Active Status in Facebook or Facebook Messenger, you won't see when your friends and connections are active or recently active either.

Popular Stories

BMW Logo iPhone 15 Pro

Warning: BMW Wireless Charging May Break iPhone 15's Apple Pay Chip

Sunday October 1, 2023 6:14 am PDT by
If you have an iPhone 15 and drive a BMW, it might be best to avoid charging the device with the vehicle's wireless charging pad for now. Over the past week, some BMW owners have complained that their iPhone 15's NFC chip no longer works after charging the device with their vehicle's wireless charging pad, according to comments shared on the MacRumors Forums and X, formerly known as Twitter. ...
Multi Display CarPlay 1

All-New Apple CarPlay Launching Later This Year With These 5 New Features

Friday September 29, 2023 11:29 am PDT by
At WWDC 2022 last year, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, personalization options, and more. Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience would be announced in late 2023, but it has still not shared any additional...
Apple Watch Edition Gold 2015

Original Apple Watch is Now Obsolete, Including $17,000 Gold Model

Monday October 2, 2023 9:15 am PDT by
All first-generation Apple Watch models released in 2015 were added to Apple's obsolete products list on September 30, according to an internal memo obtained by MacRumors. As a result, these outdated "Series 0" watches are no longer eligible for repairs or other service at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Provider locations. The list of obsolete models includes the first-generation...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

Apple to Address iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issue With iOS 17 Update

Saturday September 30, 2023 9:28 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an iOS 17 update to address a bug that may contribute to the reported iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, according to a statement the company shared today with MacRumors and Forbes reporter David Phelan. Apple also says some recent updates to third-party apps have overloaded the system and contributed to the overheating issue. The report notes that...
Apple Logo Spotlight

Mac Trade-In Changes May Indicate New Model to Launch This Month

Tuesday October 3, 2023 6:30 am PDT by
Apple may be proceeding with plans to release a new Mac model this month, according to potentially related information obtained by MacRumors. Details pertaining to imminent changes to Mac trade-ins provided to MacRumors by a verified source suggest that Apple will likely begin accepting new models for trade-in this month. Similar changes in June coincided with WWDC, when Apple began accepting...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Details: Action Button, USB-C Port, Face ID, and More

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:34 pm PDT by
Significant changes are expected to arrive with Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE, in terms of both design and hardware, MacRumors has learned. The iPhone SE 4, known internally under the codename Ghost, is expected to receive a new design derived almost entirely from the base model iPhone 14. According to our sources, the iPhone SE 4 will use a modified version of the iPhone 14 chassis...