The constant connectivity of social media can be overwhelming at times. Sometimes, you just want to relax and scroll through your Instagram Reels without getting some unwanted messages from friends.
You can ignore those messages and keep watching influencer cat videos, but your friends can see that you’re online. They can see your profile photo at the top of the chat list with the green online circle, so they know you’re there.
They know you’ve been notified about their DM, so you might have some explaining to do if you delay too long. You should consider hiding your activity status if you’re in this scenario frequently.
How to Hide Your Activity Status
Hiding your activity is a very good way of avoiding distracting messages from friends on Instagram. Here’s how to do it:
- Access Your Profile: Open the Instagram app and tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner.
- Navigate to Settings and Activity: Tap on the hamburger menu icon at the top right corner of your profile page. This opens the “Settings and Activity” menu.
- Find “Messages and Story Replies”: Scroll down the menu to “Messages and Story Replies” and tap on it.
- Toggle Off Activity Status: Look for the option labeled “Activity Status.” Tap on it, then set the toggle switch to the off position. Once this is done, your friends will no longer know when you’re online.
Important Things to Note About Turning off Activity Status
- It Is Account Wide: Turning off your activity status on your mobile app will be reflected when you sign in on a PC.
- You Won’t See Activities: Turning your activity status visibility off won’t just prevent people from seeing your online status; it will also prevent you from seeing theirs.
- Read Receipts Remain On: This process doesn’t disable read receipts for direct messages. Others will still see when you’ve viewed their messages and when you’re actively typing to reply to their messages.
Alternative Methods
If turning off your activity status visibility doesn’t seem like your thing, you can still get your piece of mind with other features. They include:
- Quiet Mode: If the constant notifications are getting on your nerves, Instagram can go mute. This mode pauses all those pesky notifications, even though your followers know you’re online. Every message automatically sends them a reply: “The user wasn’t notified about this message as they’re in quiet mode.” Sweet.
- Disable Read Receipts: This is best for all those awkward DMs that have you lost for words. With this feature turned on, you can simply leave the chat without your friend any wiser.
Striking a Balance
With the time and attention social media can take, hiding your activity status offers a middle ground. It allows you to stay connected without feeling obligated to be constantly active.
Remember, taking breaks from social media is essential. It helps you manage your online presence effectively and prioritize your mental well-being. We’ve shown you how to hide your activity status visibility, so just do that and take a deep breath. You’ll thank us.
