How to Appear Offline on Facebook While Staying Online on Messenger

How to Appear Offline on Facebook While Staying Online on Messenger

Introduction

It can be frustrating when you start receiving messages from people you don't wish to chat with on Facebook. Fortunately, there's a way to appear offline to certain individuals while still being online on Messenger. This guide will walk you through the steps to achieve this on both desktop and mobile devices.

Desktop Setup

Starting with the desktop environment, here are the steps to appear offline on Facebook while staying online on Messenger:

For Desktop Users

Open Facebook in your web browser and log in. Click on the down arrow in the top-right corner to access the menu. Select Settings Privacy, then click on Settings. In the left sidebar, click on Privacy. Scroll down to the Privacy(settings) you control section and find Online presence. Adjust this to limit who can see your posts. Now go to your Messenger. Click on your profile picture in the top left corner. Toggle off the Active status option. This will make you appear offline to others on Facebook while you can still use Messenger.

Note: By turning off your Active Status, your friends won't see when you're online or when you were last active, but you will still receive messages.

If you want to engage in conversations without others knowing you're online, this method works effectively!

Mobile Setup

To appear offline on both iOS and Android devices, follow these steps:

For iOS/Android Users

Open the Messenger app on your phone. Tap on your profile picture in the top left corner. Select Settings. Toggle off the Active status option. This will keep you offline on Facebook while still allowing you to chat on Messenger.

Note: By turning off your Active Status, you will no longer appear in your friends' Active statuses, but you will still be able to receive messages.

Advanced Privacy Options

Facebook also offers advanced privacy settings to allow you to appear offline to specific individuals:

Log in to your Facebook account. Click on the name of the person to whom you want to appear as offline. Click the gear icon to expand Options and select Go Offline to Person for that user. You can even add multiple contacts. To do so, click on the Options button under the Friends list bar and select Advanced Settings. Select All Your Friends See You Except. Then start adding the names of people you have chosen that will see you as offline. If you just want to appear online to certain people, select the second option that says Only Some Friends See You and start adding the names of the friends who will see you as online.

By using these advanced privacy settings, you have more control over your online presence on Facebook and Messenger.