If someone is not shown as online in WhatsApp, does it mean they haven't been active recently - briefly?
If a contact appears offline on WhatsApp, it indicates that they have not used the app recently or have deliberately turned off their online status. However, this does not necessarily mean they are inactive overall, as they might be using other features of the app or have set their privacy settings to hide their online status.
If someone is not shown as online in WhatsApp, does it mean they haven't been active recently - in detail?
If someone is not shown as online in WhatsApp, it does not necessarily mean that they have not been active recently. The "last seen" feature on WhatsApp displays the last time a user was active on the app, but this status can be customized or hidden by users. Here are some key points to consider:
- Privacy Settings: Users can choose who sees their "last seen" status in the privacy settings of WhatsApp. They can select from options such as "Everyone," "My Contacts," and "Nobody." If a user sets it to "Nobody," then no one will see their "last seen" status, even if they are active on the app.
- Read Receipts: Even if someone is not shown as online, you can still see read receipts (the checkmarks) for messages sent to them. This indicates that they have at least opened the chat. However, if they have disabled read receipts in their privacy settings, you won't be able to see this information either.
- Typing Indicator: If someone is typing a message to you, you will see the typing indicator regardless of whether they are shown as online or not. This suggests that they are currently active within the chat.
- Profile Picture and Status Updates: Changes in profile pictures or status updates can also indicate recent activity. While these actions do not show a user as "online," they suggest that the person has been using WhatsApp recently.
- Delivery Receipts: If your message to someone is marked as delivered but not read, it implies that the recipient has received the message but may not have opened it yet. This can provide some insight into their activity level on the app.
In summary, while seeing someone as "online" in WhatsApp clearly indicates recent activity, not seeing them online does not necessarily mean they haven't been active recently. The "last seen" status can be hidden or customized by users, and other indicators such as read receipts, typing indicators, profile picture changes, and delivery receipts can provide additional context about their activity on the app.