If you’re an Instagram user, you’ve likely seen the words “Active Today” next to someone’s profile name in your DMs. This status indicator can be confusing if you don’t know what it means. The simplest answer is that it means the user hasn’t been active between the last 8-24 hours.
If you want to answer the question ‘what does ‘Active Today’ mean on Instagram, you’ve come to the right place.
Understanding the ‘active Today’ Status on Instagram
The ‘Active Today’ status is a feature designed to give users a rough idea of how recently someone was active on Instagram. Here’s what it means.
Last Seen Activity
‘Active Today’ means that the user hasn’t been active within the last 8-24 hours. If a user has been online within the last 8 hours, you will see a ‘Active X Ago’ status showing either how many minutes or hours it’s been since they’ve been on the app.
Exact Timing
The only time you will see exact timing for a user’s activity status is if it’s been 8 hours or less. Once it’s been longer than that, you will see ‘Active Today’
Where You’ll See ‘active Today’
The ‘Active Today’ status generally appears in two places:
Direct Messages (DMs)
In your Instagram message inbox, you can check someone’s activity status under their profile name.
Profiles
If you visit someone’s profile who has this status enabled, you may notice it near their username.
How Does the “active Today” Feature Work?
The “Active Today” feature relies on user activity to update the status indicator. Here’s how it works:
How ‘active Today’ Works
- Activity Tracking: Instagram tracks when you open the app and every engagement. So, every liked photo, sent message or posting activity signals that you’re using the app and will trigger the ‘Active Today’ status.
- Time Intervals: If someone hasn’t used the app in the last 8-24 hours, the status will change from ‘Active X Ago’ to the “Active’ status indicator. After a day, the status will change to “Last Active.’ It will show the last known time that they used the app, such as 2 days ago, 3 days ago, etc.
Managing Your Own Activity Status
For users who don’t want their activity status known, the good news is you can turn off the ‘Active Today’ feature.
How to Change Your Activity Status Settings
- Go to Settings: In the Instagram app, click on your profile, then the three horizontal lines icon in the top right corner.
- Privacy Settings: Find the ‘Privacy’ section and tap on ‘Activity Status.’
- Toggle it Off: Here, you’ll be able to turn off the ‘Show Activity Status’ option to prevent others from seeing when you were last active.
Final Thoughts
To sum it up, the ‘Active Today’ feature can be a useful feature for some users. It can also feel like an invasion of privacy, which is why Instagram gives you the option to turn it off. If you can see someone’s active status, be sure to act respectfully.
