How to turn off active status on Instagram

How to turn off active status on Instagram?

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Andrej Fedek

Want to scroll Instagram in peace without everyone seeing when you’re online? You’re not alone. Instagram shows your active status to anyone you’ve messaged and to people you follow. That little green dot next to your profile? It’s a quiet spotlight you might not want on. The good news is, turning it off takes less than a minute, and you’ll gain a little more privacy every time you open the app. Wondering how to turn off active status on Instagram?

Here’s exactly how to do it.

What Is Active Status on Instagram?

When your active status is turned on, Instagram displays:

  • A green dot next to your profile photo when you’re online.
  • A “last active” timestamp in DMs.
  • Real-time status visibility to people you’ve interacted with.

This is helpful if you’re trying to coordinate with friends or manage work DMs—but sometimes, you just want to be left alone.

When your active status is on, a green dot appears next to your profile; followers and people you’ve messaged can see when you’re online or when you were last active. Turning this off gives you more control over your visibility and reduces the expectation of an immediate response.

Step-by-Step Guide (Mobile and Desktop)

  1. Open the Instagram app on your phone or go to Instagram.com on your desktop.
  2. Access Settings:
    • On mobile: Tap your profile icon → the three-line menu (≡) → Settings & Privacy.
    • On desktop: Click your profile picture → Settings & Privacy.
  3. Go to Privacy settings and find Messages & Story replies (or “Activity Status” directly, depending on your version).
  4. Select “Show activity status.”
  5. Toggle it off to disable the feature. Your green dot will disappear.
  6. Note: Turning it off means you won’t see others’ status either

📱 How to Turn Off Active Status (Mobile App)

✅ Works on both Android and iOS

  1. Open the Instagram app on your device.
  2. Tap your profile icon in the bottom right.
  3. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right.
  4. Go to Settings & privacy.
  5. Scroll down and select Messages and story replies.
  6. Tap Show activity status.
  7. Toggle it off.

📷 [Insert screenshot here: “Show activity status” screen with toggle highlighted]

Once it’s off, no one will see when you’re active—and you won’t be able to see their status either.

💻 How to Turn Off Active Status (Desktop)

✅ Works on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.

  1. Visit Instagram.com and log in.
  2. Click your profile picture in the top right.
  3. Choose Settings from the dropdown.
  4. Navigate to Privacy and Security.
  5. Uncheck the box labeled Show Activity Status.

What Changes After You Turn It Off

  • People who follow you or message you won’t see when you’re online or last active.
  • You also lose the ability to see others’ active status.
  • Everything else—posting, messaging, browsing—works exactly the same.

Final Words

Want a more private Instagram experience? Just turn off your active status. It’s a small change that can give you a lot more peace of mind—and if you ever want to check on friends’ availability, you know where to toggle it back on.

Turning off your Instagram active status is a small change, but it can make a big difference. Whether you’re working, relaxing, or not in the mood to chat, staying invisible gives you breathing room—and no one needs to know when you were last online.

Feel like switching it back on? You can always reverse the steps. Until then, scroll in peace.