How to Appear Offline to Some People on Facebook
How to Appear Offline to Some People on Facebook[edit | edit source]
To appear offline to specific people on Facebook while remaining active for others, you can follow these steps:
Using Facebook Messenger on Desktop[edit | edit source]
1. Open your web browser and go to messenger.com. 2. Log in to your Facebook account if you haven't already. 3. Click on your profile picture in the bottom left corner. 4. Select "Preferences" from the menu that appears. 5. Click on "Active Status" in the preferences menu. 6. Choose "Turn off active status for only some contacts." 7. In the dialog box that appears, type the names of the people you want to appear offline to. 8. Click "Save" when you're finished selecting people.
Important Notes[edit | edit source]
- This setting only applies to the browser you're currently using. Make sure you're not logged in elsewhere, as the setting won't carry over to other devices or browsers. - When you turn off your active status for specific people, they won't see when you're active or recently active on Facebook or Messenger. - You won't be able to see their active status either.
Limitations[edit | edit source]
- This feature is not available in the Facebook or Messenger mobile apps. You can only customize your active status for specific people using the desktop version of Messenger5[1]. - On mobile apps, you can only turn your active status on or off for all contacts3[2].
Alternative Method for Mobile Users[edit | edit source]
While you can't appear offline to specific people on mobile, you can still manage your overall active status:
1. Open the Facebook or Messenger app. 2. Tap on your profile picture. 3. Go to "Active Status" or "Settings" > "Active Status." 4. Toggle off "Show when you're active"12[2].
Privacy Considerations[edit | edit source]
- Remember that even if you appear offline, people can still send you messages. You'll receive them, but won't be notified until you change your status back to active[8]. - This feature helps maintain privacy and allows you to use Facebook without interruptions from specific contacts[10].
By following these steps, you can effectively manage your online presence on Facebook, appearing offline to certain people while remaining active for others. This can be particularly useful for maintaining work-life balance or avoiding unwanted conversations while still being available to select contacts.