How to make it so that people cannot see you online in WhatsApp?

How to make it so that people cannot see you online in WhatsApp - briefly?

To prevent others from seeing your online status on WhatsApp, you can adjust your privacy settings: Go to "Settings" > "Account" > "Privacy," then select "Last Seen & Online." From there, choose who can see your online status by selecting either "Everyone," "My Contacts," or "Nobody."

How to make it so that people cannot see you online in WhatsApp - in detail?

To ensure your privacy on WhatsApp and prevent others from seeing when you're online, you can follow these detailed steps:

  1. Turn Off Read Receipts:

    • Open WhatsApp and go to the "Settings" tab.
    • Tap on "Account."
    • Select "Privacy."
    • Turn off the toggle for "Read Receipts." This will prevent others from seeing when you've read their messages, but it won’t hide your online status entirely.
  2. Disable Last Seen:

    • In the same "Privacy" settings menu, tap on "Last Seen."
    • Choose "Nobody" to completely hide your last seen time and online status from everyone.
  3. Control Your Profile Photo:

    • Go back to the main "Settings" tab.
    • Tap on your profile picture or name at the top.
    • Tap on the pencil icon next to your profile photo.
    • Choose who can see your profile photo: "Nobody," "My Contacts," or "Everyone." Choosing "Nobody" will help in maintaining a lower online presence.
  4. Manage Who Can See Your Status:

    • In the same profile settings, tap on "Status Privacy."
    • Choose who can see your status updates: "Nobody," "My Contacts," or "My Contacts Except..." This will not hide your online status but limits who can see your activity.
  5. Use Airplane Mode:

    • A more manual approach is to turn on airplane mode when you don’t want others to see you as online.
    • Open the control center on your device and tap the airplane icon. This will disconnect you from all networks, including Wi-Fi and cellular data.
    • You can still use WhatsApp in this mode to read messages without appearing online.
  6. Block Specific Contacts:

    • If you want to hide your online status from specific people, you can block them.
    • Go to the chat with the person you want to block.
    • Tap on their name at the top of the chat.
    • Scroll down and tap "Block." This will prevent that person from seeing when you're online or any other updates about your activity.

By following these steps, you can significantly enhance your privacy on WhatsApp and control who sees your online status.