You can hide when you were last active on Instagram by turning off Activity Status in your account settings
Instagram shows your followers when you were last on the app through a feature called Activity Status. You can turn this off so people cannot see "Last seen 2 hours ago" or similar timestamps next to your name in their chats or on your profile. The setting is in your privacy controls and takes about one minute to change.
When you turn off Activity Status, Instagram stops showing your last-seen time to other users. However, you will still see when other people were last active — unless they have also turned off their Activity Status. The feature works the same way on the Instagram app for iPhone and Android, and on the web version.
Key Takeaways
- Activity Status is the feature that shows followers when you were last on Instagram, and you control it through Settings > Privacy > Activity Status.
- Turning off Activity Status hides your last-seen time from everyone, but you can still see other people's activity unless they have also disabled it.
- If you turn Activity Status back on later, your last-seen time will show again when ready to anyone who can see it.
- Turning off Activity Status does not hide your profile, posts, or stories — it only hides the timestamp of when you were last active.
How to turn off Activity Status on the Instagram app
Open Instagram and tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right, then tap Settings and Privacy. Scroll down and tap Privacy, then tap Activity Status. Toggle the switch next to "Show activity status" to the off position. The switch will turn gray when it is off.
After you turn it off, the timestamp will no longer appear next to your name in direct messages or on your profile. People who message you will not see "Active now" or "Last seen" information. If you change your mind, you can turn it back on by following the same steps and toggling the switch to the on position.
How to turn off Activity Status on Instagram's website
Log into Instagram.com on your computer or mobile browser. Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select Settings. Click Privacy in the left menu, then click Activity Status. Uncheck the box next to "Show activity status." The setting will save automatically.
The web version works the same way as the app — once you turn it off, your last-seen time is hidden from everyone. Changes you make on the website will also explore to the app, since they are connected to the same account.
What happens when you turn off Activity Status
When Activity Status is off, Instagram hides the timestamp from your followers, people in your direct messages, and anyone viewing your profile. No one will see "Last seen 3 hours ago" or "Active now" next to your name. Your stories, posts, and messages still send and receive normally — only the timing information is hidden.
If someone sends you a direct message while Activity Status is off, they will not see whether you have read it or when you read it. They will see that the message was delivered, but the read receipt (the double checkmark) will not show a timestamp. This means people cannot tell if you are ignoring them or straightforward have not seen the message yet.
What you can still see when Activity Status is off
Turning off your own Activity Status does not change what you see about other people. You will still see "Last seen" times and "Active now" indicators for anyone who has Activity Status turned on. If someone has also turned off their Activity Status, you will not see any timing information about them.
You can also still see when people were last active in group direct messages, even if they have Activity Status turned off. Group chats show activity differently than one-on-one messages, and the privacy setting does not hide that information in the same way.
When Activity Status turns back on automatically
Activity Status does not turn back on by itself. Once you turn it off, it stays off until you manually turn it back on through Settings. If you uninstall and reinstall Instagram, your privacy settings remain the same because they are saved to your account, not to the app.
If you log out of Instagram and log back in, Activity Status will still be off. The only way to show your last-seen time again is to go back to Settings > Privacy > Activity Status and toggle it on.
Why Instagram shows Activity Status and how it affects your privacy
Instagram displays Activity Status to help people know when their friends are online and available to chat. The feature is turned on by default for new accounts. Some people turn it off for privacy reasons, while others leave it on so their close friends know they are active.
Turning off Activity Status is one way to control what information you share on Instagram. It does not hide your profile, posts, or stories from anyone — it only hides the timing of when you use the app. Your followers can still see everything you post and share; they just cannot see when you were last online.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I turn off Activity Status, can people still see when I read their messages?
In one-on-one direct messages, turning off Activity Status hides the read receipt timestamp. People will not see when you read their message, only that it was delivered. In group chats, read receipts may still show, depending on your other privacy settings.
Does turning off Activity Status hide my stories from people?
No. Your stories are still visible to anyone who can see them based on your story privacy settings. Turning off Activity Status only hides when you were last on the app, not who can see your content.
Can I turn off Activity Status for just one person?
No. Activity Status is an all-or-nothing setting — when you turn it off, it hides your last-seen time from everyone. Instagram does not have an option to hide Activity Status from specific people while showing it to others.
What if I turn off Activity Status and then someone messages me?
They can still send you a message normally. They will not see a timestamp showing when you read it, but the message will be delivered to you. You can read and reply to messages as usual.
Does turning off Activity Status affect Instagram Stories or Reels?
No. Your stories and reels work the same way whether Activity Status is on or off. People can still see your stories if they follow you or if your account is public. Turning off Activity Status only affects the last-seen timestamp, not your content.