When is someone online in WhatsApp - briefly?
To determine if someone is online on WhatsApp, check the status message below their name. If it says "Online" or displays a timestamp (e.g., "Last seen today at 10:30 AM"), they are currently active or were recently using the app.
When is someone online in WhatsApp - in detail?
Determining when someone is online on WhatsApp can be crucial for various reasons, whether it's for immediate communication or understanding availability. WhatsApp provides several indicators to help users discern the online status of their contacts.
Firstly, the most visible indicator of a contact's online status is the small green dot that appears next to their name in the chat list. This dot signifies that the user is currently active on WhatsApp and has not turned off their read receipts or last seen privacy settings. If a user has disabled read receipts, the green dot will still appear when they are online but will not indicate if they have read your message.
Another way to determine if someone is online is through the "Last Seen" timestamp. This feature shows the last time the contact was active on WhatsApp. If the timestamp says "Online," it means the user is currently active. However, it's important to note that users can choose to hide their "Last Seen" status from specific contacts or all contacts by adjusting their privacy settings. In such cases, you won't be able to see the "Last Seen" timestamp.
WhatsApp also offers read receipts, which indicate whether a message has been delivered (one checkmark) and read (two checkmarks). If a contact has read your message, it means they were online at some point after you sent the message. However, this doesn't provide real-time information about their current online status.
Lastly, if you send a message to a contact who is currently online, WhatsApp will display "Delivered" and "Read" almost instantly, assuming they have notifications turned on and are actively using the app. This can serve as another indicator of their online status.
In summary, WhatsApp provides multiple ways to determine when someone is online, including green dots in the chat list, "Last Seen" timestamps, read receipts, and immediate message delivery notifications. However, privacy settings can affect the visibility of these indicators, so it's essential to be aware of how your contacts have configured their settings.