How do I change my status on Messenger PC?

Facebook is the quintessential social network, but you may not always feel like being social every time you log in to your Facebook account. Whether it's because you don't have the energy or the time to engage with friends, you do have the option to browse Facebook without anyone knowing you're online.

Disable Active Status on Facebook Website

1. In a browser, log in to Facebook and then click the Messenger icon the top-right corner of the page.
2. Click the ellipsis (three dots) icon at the top of the chats window.
3. Click Active Status.
4. Toggle off the switch next to Active Status: ON to disable it.

Note that there are a couple of additional options in the Active Status window that allow you to appear as active for some friends, but not others, and vice versa. Simply tap the edit button to select which friends you want to include in either list.

Disable Active Status in Facebook App

1. Launch the Facebook app and tap the menu tab (three lines) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
2. Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy to expand this section.
3. Tap Settings.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Scroll down, and under "Audience and visibility," tap Active Status.
5. Toggle off the switch next to Show when you're active.
   
   
   

Disable Active Status in Facebook Messenger

1. Launch the Facebook Messenger app and tap your circular profile picture in the top-left corner of the screen.
2. Tap Active Status.
3. Toggle off the switch next to Show when you're active.

Note that when you turn off your Active Status in Facebook or Facebook Messenger, you won't see when your friends and connections are active or recently active either.

Facebook may be responsible for putting the word "social" in social media, but there are times when you don't want — or don't have time — to engage with friends.

If you want to log into Facebook without your friends knowing you're online, you can easily turn off your "active status" so you appear offline.

There are three different places where you can control your active status: on Facebook in a web browser, in the Facebook mobile app, and in the Facebook Messenger mobile app.

How to turn off active status on Facebook in a web browser

To turn off active status and appear offline on Facebook:

1. Open Facebook in a browser and log in, if you're not already.

2. Click the circular Messenger icon in the top-right corner.

3. Click the three-dot icon at the top of the Messenger drop down.

4. Click Turn off Active Status in the drop-down menu.

5. A pop-up will appear asking if you want to Turn off Active Status for all contacts, Turn off Active Status for all contacts except, or Turn off Active Status for only some contacts. When you click the latter two options, a box will appear where you can enter the names of specific people.

6. Click OK when you're done.

Note: You can also do this by clicking the Messenger icon in the top-right corner and clicking See all in Messenger at the bottom of the drop-down menu. Then, on the full-screen Messenger page, click the three-dot icon in the top-left corner, choose Preferences, click Turn off Active Status in the pop-up, and choose your active status.

How to turn off active status in the Facebook mobile app

1. Open the Facebook app on your phone.

2. Tap the three horizontal lines (called the "hamburger menu") in the top-right corner on Android or the bottom-right corner on iPhone.

3. Tap Settings & Privacy, and then tap Settings.

4. Tap Active Status under the Privacy section.

5. Turn off Show when you're active by moving the slider to the left and then confirm by tapping Turn Off in the pop-up.

How to turn off active status in the Facebook Messenger mobile app

1. Open the Facebook Messenger app on your phone.

2. Tap your profile's avatar at the top-left of the screen.

3. Tap Active Status.

4. Turn off Show when you're active by moving the slider to the left and then confirm by tapping Turn Off in the pop-up.