I made this quick video for anyone who wants to be on Facebook — but without constantly appearing available on Messenger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zY-7ZbsIBI

Sometimes you just want to browse in peace. You might be checking updates, using groups, or doing business — without being drawn into endless Messenger chats. Fortunately, Facebook lets you control how your activity status appears to others.

Here’s how to show yourself as offline on desktop:

  1. Open Messenger.com or click the Messenger icon inside Facebook.

  2. Click your profile photo in the top-left corner.

  3. Select Active Status.

  4. Toggle off “Show when you’re active”.

And here’s how to do it on the mobile app:

  1. Open the Facebook Messenger app.

  2. Tap your profile picture in the top left.

  3. Tap Active Status.

  4. Turn off the toggle switch.

Bonus tips:

  • Turning this off hides your activity status, but you can still read and reply to messages.

  • You can also selectively disable active status for certain people.

  • Your “last active” timestamp will also disappear when this setting is off.

I use this setting when I want to keep focus — especially during work hours — without fully logging out of Facebook. It’s also helpful when traveling or testing things in groups without being bombarded by messages.

The full walk-through is in the video above if you want a visual guide. It takes less than 30 seconds, and you’ll immediately have a more peaceful Facebook experience.