How to Appear Offline to Some People on Facebook

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This wikiHow guide teaches you how to prevent certain friends on Facebook from seeing that you're online on both the mobile Facebook Messenger app and on Facebook's desktop website. For mobile, setting your Active status to "Off" in Facebook Messenger causes you to appear offline to everyone, so to appear offline to specific people it's recommended to temporarily block specific friends. Using Facebook's desktop website, you can turn off Facebook chat for specific contacts which will make you appear offline to those contacts, but they will still be able to send you messages.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Using the Messenger App

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  1. This app is blue with a white lightning bolt on it. [1]
    • If you aren't already signed into Facebook Messenger, enter your phone number and password before continuing.
  2. It's the stack of three lines that's either in the bottom-right area of the screen (iPhone) or the top-right area of the screen (Android).
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  3. This will open their conversation page; if you've never had a conversation with them, this page will be empty.
  4. It's at the top of the conversation page. Doing so invokes a pop-up menu.
  5. 5
    Tap Block . This is the last option on the page. [2]
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  1. It will turn green or blue, depending on your device. Doing so will prevent this friend from seeing that you're online, though it will also prevent you from receiving any messages from them.
    • Repeat this process with each person from whom you wish to hide.
Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Using a Computer

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  1. It's at https://www.facebook.com/ . Doing so will open your News Feed if you're already signed into Facebook.
    • If you aren't already signed into Facebook, enter your email address (or phone number) and password before continuing.
  2. This icon is in the bottom-right corner of the Facebook window, just below the chat bar. A pop-up menu will appear.
    • If your entire chat is currently turned off, first click the turn on chat link.
  3. It's near the middle of the pop-up menu.
  4. This option allows you to select specific friends to whom you'll appear offline. [3]
    • If you only want to appear online to a few people, click the "Turn off chat for all contacts except" circle.
  5. To do so, type in a friend's name, then click their name when it appears below the text field.
    • If you're turning on chat for a few people instead, just enter the names of the people for whom you wish to appear online.
  6. It's a blue button at the bottom of the window. This will turn off Facebook chat for your selected friends, making you appear offline in the process.
    • You will still be able to receive messages and notifications from these contacts, but they won't see you in their "Active Now" chat bar.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Does this still work today?
    Community Answer
    None of those solutions work simply because you may appear offline, but it shows that you were online 1 minute ago, which gives everyone the hint that you are online but "hiding".
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    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Not Helpful 27 Helpful 130
  • Question
    How does it say someone was active 42 minutes ago when I know they're online right now?
    Community Answer
    Facebook will use their last sent message as their last active time if they are not active with the chat turned on.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 7 Helpful 25
  • Question
    How does it say someone was active 42 minutes ago when I know they're online right now?
    Community Answer
    They are using mobile Facebook to turn off their availability.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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    Not Helpful 6 Helpful 0
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      Tips

      • You can go offline entirely in Facebook Messenger by opening the People tab, tapping the Active tab, and sliding the switch next to your own name to the left.
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      Warnings

      • Your "Last Online" tag, which shows the last time you were online, will display the time at which you turned off chat for your contacts.
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      • If you want to receive messages from or send messages to a blocked contact in Facebook Messenger, you'll need to unblock them.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/help/215888465102253
      2. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/help/215888465102253
      3. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/help/215888465102253

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Open Messenger.
      2. Tap People .
      3. Tap a friend.
      4. Tap the person's name.
      5. Tap Block .
      6. Slide "Block Messages" to the On position.
      7. Repeat this step for all you want to hide.

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