Did you ever notice the “Active Now” button next to an Instagram username? Have you wondered what that means?
Quick Answer
Active status is self-explanatory. It allows users to see who is currently using the app from their friend list.
Some may still be confused about what this feature actually means. You may see the status as “Active Today” or “Active 5m Ago”. What’s the difference?
What does the “Active Now” status on Instagram actually mean?
Instagram Direct only allows you to see the activity status. This is similar to Facebook Messenger. Stories and posts won’t tell you if the user is available at the moment.
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Instagram places a green dot below the profile photo to indicate that the user is active on Instagram. This information can only be accessed if the user has followed you back, or sent you a DM.
It is interesting that even if you are not active for a few seconds, your status will still be displayed on the app. To change your status, you must be offline for at least 5 minutes.
How accurate is “Active now?”
Sometimes, you might see that a friend uploaded a post but the status is not active. This simple feature can be confused by glitches or delays.
The ‘Active Now” functionality does not provide exact information.
What do other activity statuses mean?
Below are the other activity statuses available for Instagram users.
Active X minutes/hour back
This simply indicates that the user was active in the app at a specific time. This status shows you if you have been inactive for between 5 and 8 hours.
Get active today
This status shows that the user was actively using Instagram during the day. If you have been inactive for between eight and twenty-four hours, Instagram will display the status”. This status indicates that you were active earlier in the day.
Yesterday Active
This will be displayed on your status if you are inactive for the entire day. This simply means that you haven’t used Instagram for the past 24-48 hours.
What is the difference between “Active today” on Instagram and “Active immediately”?
Both these situations might seem similar. They are quite different.
Instagram users who have been online in the last five minutes will see the ‘active now‘ status.
In contrast, users who have been inactive for a prolonged period of time (ranging from 8 to 24hrs) will see their status change to Active today.
Why can’t I see the Green Dot?
You won’t be able see someone hiding their activity status from their Instagram account. Instagram allows users to hide their activity status using the privacy settings. Instagram users can limit the visibility of their Instagram followers to their activities.
How to Turn off Instagram’s “Active Now” Feature
You can disable Instagram’s activity status to protect your privacy or for other reasons. However, you won’t be allowed to view other users’ activity statuses.
In just five easy steps, you can disable the Instagram ‘Active Now’ feature.
- Log in to Instagram by opening it.
- Tap the profile image at the bottom right corner.
- In the upper right corner, tap the hamburger menu icon.
- Select “Setting“
- Choose “Privacy.”
- Select “Activity Status“
- You can toggle the “Show activity status” option off.
What is the purpose of Instagram showing me that I am active?
You may have accidentally opened the app. It could have been in one of your most recent apps, or you forgot to open it on another device like your computer.
If you don’t wish for this to happen, you need to ensure that the app/website is closed completely after using it. Log out. Because most devices track your credentials, you can sign in quickly the next time.
You can log out of your device and close the app to stop being active on Instagram.
Conclusion
Instagram’s activity status feature allows you to connect with your friends and followers. Some users prefer to disable it to protect their privacy.
Follow these steps to quickly and easily disable Instagram’s activity status.
