How to disable the 'Active Now' green dot on Facebook

No one needs to know.
By Anna Iovine  on 
How to disable the 'Active Now' green dot on Facebook
Want to hide from your friends list? Here is how you disable the green Active Now dot on Facebook. Credit: vicky leta / mashable

Over the years, my Facebook feed has turned into a hodgepodge of MLM peddlers, COVID misinformation, rage over said COVID misinformation, and Minions memes. Yet, embarrassingly, I still check up on it every now and again — and I know I'm not alone in that.

In keeping with this surreptitious Facebook use, I don't want anyone to spy that green bubble next to my icon and actually know that I'm checking it. Here's how to disable the 'Active Now' green dot on Facebook.

On desktop, press the Messenger icon on the top right of the homepage.

Mashable Image
Click on the Messenger icon. Credit: Screenshot: Facebook

Next, select the ellipsis (...) at the top of the dropdown.

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Tap the ellipses. Credit: SCREENSHOT: FACEBOOK

Chat Settings will open up. Go to Turn Off Active Status.

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Credit: mashable

You can choose whether to turn off the green bubble for everyone, or blacklist/whitelist certain names. Click "Okay" when you're done.

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Choose your options. Credit: SCREENSHOT: FACEBOOK

On mobile, this is a little different. When you tap Messenger on the Facebook app, it'll open up the dedicated Messenger app. From there, click your profile picture at the top left. Select Active Status, and then toggle whether you want to show that you're active:

Tap on Active Status. Credit: SCREENSHOT: FACEBOOK
Toggle the green bubble to switch this on or off. Credit: SCREENSHOT: FACEBOOK

That's it! Enjoy your private Facebook scrolling.

anna iovine, a white woman with curly chin-length brown hair, smiles at the camera
Anna Iovine
Associate Editor, Features

Anna Iovine is associate editor of features at Mashable. Previously, as the sex and relationships reporter, she covered topics ranging from dating apps to pelvic pain. Before Mashable, Anna was a social editor at VICE and freelanced for publications such as Slate and the Columbia Journalism Review. Follow her on X @annaroseiovine.


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