Hide WhatsApp online status - How it works

WhatsApp always automatically shows you when a person was last online in the app. We have summarized for you how you can turn this off and hide your WhatsApp online status.

The online status is only displayed in individual chats above under the name of the contact. Here you can see whether a person is currently active online in the app and when they last opened the application. Your chat partner can always see when a message could have been read, even if you have already deactivated the read confirmation, i.e. the two blue ticks. So you don't want mom to see when you came home from the party or you want to prevent friends from knowing exactly that you are currently active in Messenger? With a few clicks, you can easily hide this status. We'll show you how it works.

Hide "last online" status on Android and iPhone

If you make these settings, your contacts will no longer be able to see when you last closed WhatsApp.

1. Open WhatsApp.
2. Tap the three dots in the top right to open the settings. On your iPhone, open the settings via the gear symbol.
3. Select the Account item and then tap on Privacy.
4. Click Last Online.
5. Select the appropriate setting:

Everyone: Anyone who has your number can see this status.

My contacts: Only the numbers that you have also saved yourself can see this information.

Nobody: The “last online” status is hidden from everyone.

6. Close the settings when you have decided on the appropriate option.

Hide WhatsApp online status while writing

If you write a message, it is still visible to everyone that you are currently active. If you also want to hide this WhatsApp online status, you have to resort to a little trick. If you are using the latest WhatsApp version, you have the option of reading incoming messages in the notification bar or on the lock screen. To do this, pull the notification bar down on your Android smartphone, on the iPhone you simply use 3D Touch. You can also view and reply to unread messages without opening the app and revealing your online status.

So of course your chat partner will notice that you are online, but the rest of your contacts will not notice this. You will not be displayed as "online" at this moment and your "last online" status will not be updated either. The only downer: these quick answers only work for texts and emojis. To send videos, GIFs, or voice messages, you have no choice but to open the messenger.

Stay offline with airplane mode

Another trick you can use to hide WhatsApp online status is to activate airplane mode. This is only sent if there is an internet connection at the time of the activity. Turn on airplane mode to disconnect from the internet. Now open WhatsApp and send a message. If you exit the application and exit the mode, your smartphone will re-establish an internet connection and send the message.