Despite the introduction of countless new social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Telegram, and so on, Facebook remains at the pinnacle of the social world even today. A pioneer of many social trends and features, this platform has created quite a diverse and extensive network of people, with extraordinary opportunities for creators and marketers.
It is no wonder that most of our readers come to us with queries related to this platform. And in today’s blog, we’ll attempt to resolve one such query: about the Active Now status on Facebook’s dedicated messaging app – the Facebook Messenger.
Stick with us till the end to find some answers to the questions that have been troubling you on the platform!
Why Does Facebook Messenger Say I’m Active When I’m Not?
We’ll come directly to the point without much ado: You appear active on Facebook Messenger even when you’re not using the app, right?
It might bring you some relief to learn that the issue you’re struggling with is, in fact, quite common around the platform, with many users coming to us with the very same complaint.
As such, we’re familiar with the most common cause behind this error. But before we get to that, here are some other possibilities that we’d like you to rule out first. It’ll help you find an absolute solution for the matter at hand. Ready to get started? Great!
Reason #1: Did you remember to close the app properly?
Suppose you’re on Messenger but suddenly remember about a pending work mail you need to send. You’ll close Messenger on your device and head to Outlook (or Gmail, if you use it), right?
But how do you close this existing app? Most users will simply swipe up from the bottom of the screen to shut it down. But here’s something you might not know: When you simply swipe your way out of an app, it’s not really closed. The app still runs in the background of your device, and could probably still be showing you as Active despite your absence from the platform.
So, if you want to really shut an app properly, you need to open the All tabs window on your device and close it from there. It is only after you do this that you can hope to get rid of the false active status. Try it, and let us know if it works for you!
Reason #2: Have you logged in from a different device?
Most of us use Facebook or Messenger either on our smartphones or our laptops/tablets. However, it’s not unheard of to log into your account from a friend’s, relative’s, or colleague’s device in an urgent situation.
However, as you log-in from a different device, you might not necessarily remember to log yourself out at times. And this could be another possible reason why you might appear Active on Messenger even when you’re not.
We don’t expect you to remember every single affair like this one and go back to undo it; but you can solve this error from your very own device. Just change your Messenger password, and when you find the option of logging out of all other devices while doing so, select it.
Reason #3: Do you use a third-party tool for Facebook?
It is no secret that third-party tools make your life easier on social media. But what might come as a surprise to some is that these tools also tend to interfere with the AI of your handle, often messing with its performance and making room for glitches.
If you use third-party tools for Facebook, your false active status could be the outcome of one such error as well. And if that is indeed the problem here, only one thing can fix it: deleting the tool.
How accurate is the Active Now status on Facebook Messenger?
We provided you with multiple possibilities to consider in the last section. But if none of them resonated with you, here’s the last one:
The error is on Facebook’s end.
Well, we can’t really call it an error, but for some reason, it has been observed globally that the Active Now status on Facebook is not as accurate as we would like. At best, a 5-minute lag in the disappearance of Active Now is perceived as common.
So, it’s completely possible that Facebook is to blame for the error that you’re currently dealing with.
Turning your Active Now status off on Messenger: A solution to your problems
In the last section, we learned about how inaccurate Facebook can be in terms of showing the online visibility of its users. The same is true of Messenger.
And while this inaccuracy can be trivial or inconsequential for some users, for others, it can be a major inconvenience. Suppose you’re running a business or handling clients on the platform. Will the inaccuracy not affect your work propositions?
How to resolve this issue, then? You can write to Facebook all you want about it, but don’t expect any quick action on their end. If there’s one thing you can do to resolve the issue on your own end, it’s turning your Active Status off on the app for good.
That way, you’ll never face confusion or conflicts about being online again in life. Take a look at the step-by-step guide given below to learn how that can be done on the Facebook Messenger app:
Step 1: Navigate the message bubble icon on your smartphone’s app menu grid and give it a tap to launch the Facebook Messenger app on your device.
Step 2: As the app launches, you’ll see 4 icons arranged horizontally at the bottom, each for a separate function: Chats, Calls, People, and Stories.
You’ll also notice how, by default, you first land on the Chats tab. Here, look to the top-left corner of your screen. Beside Chats, you’ll find a circular thumbnail of your own profile picture; give it a tap.
Step 3: You’ll land on the Me tab next.
Here, below your profile picture and username on top, you’ll find a list of several sections like Profile, Services, Preferences, and Account.
Scroll down to the first section – Profile – and navigate to the third option on this list: Active Status with a green dot icon next to it.
Give it a tap to open the Active Status settings for your Messenger app.
Step 4: As the Active Status tab opens, you’ll see two options, with blue toggle switches next to each.
Show when you’re active
This option helps you hide your active status from everyone on Messenger.
Show when you’re active together
This option presents an exception: the users who are active at the same time as you are will be able to see your active status.
Take your pick according to your preferences; as soon as you turn the toggles off, your online visibility will be hidden by other users.
The bottom line
As we come to the end of our blog, here’s a quick summary of all our learnings before we part ways.
Our discussion began with talking about Facebook and its Active Now status. While this feature was mighty helpful at the time of its introduction, lately, it has done more damage than its worth.
We’ve explored various possibilities of why you might be appearing active on Messenger despite not using it. In the end, we’ve also added a guide to turning off one’s active status on the app.
Were we able to resolve your query? Check out other Facebook-related blogs on our website if you have other questions!
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