Meta-owned WhatsApp is used by millions of people around the world and has become a basic necessity for smartphones. Users rely on the app to share photos, videos, and documents with their friends and contacts. The platform regularly adds new features to improve user experience. One recent update includes privacy-focused features like app locks, the ability to lock private chats, and more.
WhatsApp also displays status information to inform users when someone is online, when they last checked their WhatsApp chat, when they are typing, and more. To respect user privacy, WhatsApp allows users to hide certain statuses, such as their last seen and online status.
WhatsApp users can hide their ‘Online’ status from others to protect their privacy or for any other feature. If you find this feature interesting, here is a step-by-step guide on how to hide Online Status on WhatsApp.
A step-by-step guide on how to hide Online Status on WhatsApp
- Step 1: Open WhatsApp and tap on the three dots in the top right corner.
- Step 2: Select 'Settings' from the menu that appears.
- Step 3: Tap on 'Privacy' and then 'Last seen and online.'
- Step 4: Under 'Who can see my last seen,' choose from Everyone, My contacts, My contacts except..., or Nobody.
- Step 5: Your selection in Step 4 will apply to those who can see your online status as well, or you can keep it set to everyone.
How to hide Online Status on WhatsApp
Meanwhile, given the growing number of WhatsApp users, the company has introduced numerous security and privacy features for both the app and the website. Users can now hide their display picture from strangers, conceal their online status, lock chats, and set the status for selected contacts.
For those using WhatsApp on the web, there is a privacy feature that allows users to lock their WhatsApp to prevent unauthorised access to their chats. This feature also includes a timer that automatically locks the user's profile after a certain period of inactivity. If you're interested in this feature, we have a step-by-step guide on how to enable app lock on WhatsApp Web.
ALSO READ: How to add admins to your WhatsApp Channels: An easy guide
