Facebook is quite open up virtually its goals: the company dreams of a world in which everyone is connected at all times. Perhaps that'southward why information technology's and so difficult to appear offline on Facebook. The very idea of "offline" or "invisible" is the antonym of everything the social network believes in.

However, beingness "invisible" isn't for everyone. Thankfully, it'due south possible to maintain a veil of privacy while yet letting your closest friends and family know that yous're available to talk.

Hither's how to decide which Facebook friends meet yous online and which don't...

How Do People See Who'due south 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 Status appears as a greenish dot next to your profile picture on Facebook and Messenger when you're online or take been recently agile.

The information Meta gives on Active Condition is a bit unclear, differing according to the device you apply Facebook on.

On its aid commodity for Active Condition on computer, the company notes:

The settings y'all choose will be updated everywhere you apply Meta products, including where you haven't yet changed your Active Status.

But for the same help article, switched to the Android app help, the company notes:

When you turn Agile Status off, you lot'll still appear active or recently agile from any other places where you lot're using Facebook or Messenger, unless yous turn off Active Status in those places, as well.

We assume that Active Status audience settings on figurer use to all computer sessions. Notwithstanding, your online condition settings need to be changed individually for every device on the mobile app.

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

Notwithstanding, on the mobile app, you tin can only plough Active Status on or off—with no option to select specific people or lists.

Here'southward how to adjust your Active Status settings so that only certain people tin see you lot online...

How to Change Who Can See You Online on Facebook

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

However, it'southward unclear whether these settings will utilize if y'all utilise 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 Agile Status on the app (which nosotros will show you later on in this tutorial).

And so how exercise you edit your active list?

To change your Active Status settings on Facebook, follow these steps...

  1. On the bar to the right, where your Contacts are shown, select the button with three horizontal dots for Options.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select Turn off Active Status.
    facebook browser turn off active status
  3. This will bring upwardly a popup where you tin can select your options: Turn off Active Status for all contacts, Plough off active condition for all contacts except, or Turn off Active Status for only some contacts.
    active status settings facebook
  4. Select whichever setting you lot adopt, enter names or lists into the text box, and select OK to salvage the settings.

If yous choose to Turn off active status for all contacts except, select the specific people or lists y'all want to see you online.

If you lot choose to Plough off Active Status for simply some contacts, select the people or lists you don't want to see y'all online. For example, y'all may want to add your restricted list here, as well equally lists such as concern contacts or people you have on your friends list only because you didn't want to offend them by rejecting their friend request.

How to Switch Off Facebook Online Status Completely

So what if y'all don't desire anyone to come across you online on Facebook? Y'all tin can appear offline or invisible on Facebook at all times if you want to.

You tin switch off your Active Status completely on the browser version of Facebook by selecting Plow off Agile Condition for all contacts.

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

To change your active status 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 in the Chats menu.
  3. Tap on the Active Status tab.
  4. Toggle the options for Show when you're active and Show when you're active together to off.
  5. When Facebook asks you to confirm, select Plow Off.

Switching off your Active Condition likewise prevents yous from seeing when other people are online.

In our exam, switching off Active Condition on the mobile app did not carry over to the desktop browser version of Facebook.

You tin also switch off your online status on the Windows Shop app.

How to Stop Someone Seeing Someone Seeing You Online on Facebook

If yous're worried about Facebook not turning off Agile Status for all your sessions and really don't desire someone specific to see you lot online, a surefire style to prevent this is to block them from messaging you.

This is different to a full Facebook block.

As Facebook notes:

Blocking messages from someone is dissimilar from blocking them on Facebook. If you block messages from someone, but you don't cake them on Facebook, y'all'll still be able to see their Facebook contour.

If yous block letters from someone on Facebook, they as well can't run into when you're online.

To cake messages from a contact, and therefore preclude them from seeing whether you're online, follow these steps:

  1. Open up a conversation with the contact.
  2. Select their proper noun to bring upward a menu of settings.
  3. Select Block.
    facebook menu block messages
  4. Choose the pick for Block messages and calls.
    block messages facebook

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

Command Who Sees Y'all Online on Facebook

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

Use the settings in this article to regain some privacy when information technology comes to whether or not your contact list can see if you're online.

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