Instagram is one of the most popular social media apps today, and over time, has added a wide range of features to make the app more user-friendly. These features aim to make it easier for users to connect with their friends and family and find more relevant content.
One of these features is the Active Now feature. This function serves to help users see when those they follow are currently using the app. Additionally, they added the green dot next to users’ names, indicating that they are currently online.
Many users have expressed confusion over how this feature works and what it means. Let’s take a look at what Active Now actually means.
What Does “Active Now” Mean on Instagram?
Your activity status is only available on Instagram Direct, which is the equivalent of Facebook Messenger. People cannot determine if you’re online just by looking at your posts or stories.
When you enter Direct, you can see the list of all your chats and their timestamps. If you are following a person, and the person follows you back, you can see whether or not they are online.
You will see a green dot under their picture and the Active Now status. However, you can’t get this information if a person hasn’t followed you back or sent you a DM. If you can see that someone is active now, they will know the same thing about you.
How to Disable the “Active Now” Feature in Instagram
If you want to retain some privacy on Instagram, you might be interested in disabling this feature. Doing so is fairly easy, but keep in mind that this means you won’t be able to see other users’ activity status either.
With that in mind, here’s how to disable the Active Now feature in Instagram:
- Go to your Profile.
- Tap on the three horizontal lines at the top right of the screen then select Settings.
- Select Privacy.
- Tap on Activity Status.
- Disable Show Activity Status.
Once turned off, your friends will no longer be able to view your activity status, and you won’t be able to see theirs.
Is “Active Now” Accurate?
You may see a friend’s status as inactive, yet they just uploaded a post. There are delays and glitches with the activity feature that can cause some confusion. For this reason, we feel it’s important to point out that the Active Now status isn’t always accurate.
It’s been reported that some users see up to a ten-minute delay before seeing an activity status. The same goes for the Last Seen feature. Just because it says someone was online 20 minutes ago, does not mean that it’s accurate or that they didn’t suddenly become busy.
What if You Don’t See the Green Dot?
If you are positive that a mutual follower is active and you don’t see the green dot it’s possible there’s a slight glitch or delay. Technology isn’t perfect.
More than likely that the user has their activity status turned off in the settings as mentioned previously. Don’t let the missing green dot deter you from sending a message though — most users have notifications turned on. Instagram also offers read receipts, so you’ll know as soon as your message is read.
Final Thoughts
Instagram’s activity status feature can make it easier to communicate with friends and followers, but some users would prefer to leave the feature off to improve their privacy. By following the steps above, you can quickly and easily disable Instagram’s activity status feature.
What are your thoughts? Are you on the social side or do you prefer quiet feed browsing? Let us know in the comments!
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