> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://chale.tech/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # How to hide your last seen and online status on WhatsApp - URL: https://chale.tech/hide-whatsapp-last-seen-online/ - Published: 2026-10-30T09:15:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-30T09:15:00.000Z - Description: Stop people seeing when you were last on WhatsApp or that you are online right now. Steps for Android and iPhone, who you can hide it from, and the catch: you can’t see theirs either. - Author: Isaac Nana Yaw Annor - Tags: How-To, WhatsApp WhatsApp shows two things about your activity: **last seen** (when you last opened the app) and **online** (that you have WhatsApp open right now). You can hide both, from everyone or from selected people. ## Hide last seen and online 1. Open WhatsApp → **Settings** (Android: tap ⋮ → Settings). 2. Tap **Privacy** → **Last seen and online**. 3. Under **Who can see my last seen**, choose **Nobody**, **My contacts** or **My contacts except…**. 4. Under **Who can see when I’m online**, choose **Same as last seen**. With last seen set to Nobody and online set to “Same as last seen”, nobody sees when you are on WhatsApp. ## Hide it from just a few people Choose **My contacts except…** and tick the people (for example, your boss or a nosy relative). Everyone else still sees your last seen. ## The catch - If you don’t share your last seen, you **can’t see other people’s** last seen either. - People can still see when you are **typing** in a chat with them. - Blue ticks (read receipts) are separate. See [read messages without blue ticks](https://chale.tech/read-whatsapp-messages-without-blue-ticks/). *WhatsApp changes its menus from time to time and they differ slightly between Android and iPhone. If an option has moved, look for it under Settings → Privacy, Chats or Account, or update WhatsApp from the Play Store or App Store.* ## Why people hide it Last seen invites questions: “I saw you were online, why didn’t you reply?” Hiding it gives you breathing space, protects you from people who track your habits, and makes it harder for scammers to know when you are active. Many people hide last seen from everyone except close family. ## Problems and fixes - **Option is greyed out:** update WhatsApp; very old versions only had last seen, not the online setting. - **Someone still knows you’re online:** they may see you typing in their chat, or see your blue ticks. Turn off read receipts too if that matters. - **You can’t see a friend’s last seen:** either they hid it, you hid yours (it’s reciprocal), or they [blocked you](https://chale.tech/know-if-someone-blocked-you-whatsapp/). ## Android vs iPhone The settings are the same. On Android, open Settings from the ⋮ menu at the top right of the Chats screen; on iPhone, Settings is a tab at the bottom of the screen. ## More privacy settings worth checking - **Profile photo:** Settings → Privacy → Profile photo → My contacts, so strangers can’t download it. - **About:** limit who sees your About text. - **Groups:** Settings → Privacy → Groups → My contacts, so strangers can’t add you to scam groups. ## Related WhatsApp guides - [Read messages without blue ticks](https://chale.tech/read-whatsapp-messages-without-blue-ticks/) - [Hide your status from someone](https://chale.tech/hide-whatsapp-status-from-someone/) - [Lock private chats](https://chale.tech/whatsapp-chat-lock/) *This guide was checked in October 2026\. Menus and services change, so if something looks different on your phone, check with your provider.* ## Common questions ### Can I hide my online status on WhatsApp? Yes. In Settings → Privacy → Last seen and online, set “Who can see when I’m online” to “Same as last seen”, and set last seen to Nobody or chosen contacts. ### If I hide my last seen, can I still see other people’s? No. If you don’t share your last seen, you can’t see other people’s either. ### Can I hide last seen from one person only? Yes. Choose “My contacts except…” and select the people to hide it from. ### Does hiding last seen hide the blue ticks? No. Read receipts are a separate setting. ## Sources - [WhatsApp Help Center](https://faq.whatsapp.com/?ref=chale.tech) - [WhatsApp: Privacy features](https://www.whatsapp.com/privacy?ref=chale.tech)