One of the most important benefits of the fast connectivity of the internet is that it has made seamless conversations possible, especially in texts. If two people are online on any social media platform at the same time, they can talk about so much in such a little time.
However, while you can easily figure out when someone is online on WhatsApp, on Instagram, it’s not that easy. And it makes sense as well; WhatsApp as a platform was built for smooth text conversations, while on Instagram, the DMs aren’t the center of attraction.
To remedy that and encourage more Instagrammers to chat on the platform, Instagram has added the Last Active feature in recent years. In this blog, we’ll delve deeper into this feature and talk about the possibilities of any discrepancy in it. Let’s get started!
The Last Active feature on Instagram
The Last Active feature was launched on Instagram in January 2018. But unlike how last seen works on Facebook, on this platform, this feature is restricted only to the DMs section, having nothing to do with users’ profiles.
For this reason, their active status is also visible within the DMs section itself. The If you open your DMs section, at the top of it, right below the search bar, you’ll find a section of all your active followers, with green dots under their profile picture’s thumbnail.
Below this section, you’ll find the Messages section, wherein a green dot will also be visible under the profile icons of all the conversations with users that are currently active on the platform.
So, this is how the Last Active feature works on Instagram under ideal conditions. But if you aren’t able to see someone’s Last Active status on the platform, there can be multiple possible reasons behind it. In the next section, we’ll explore these possibilities to help you figure out which one is true in your case.
Here are Some Reasons Why Can’t You See When Someone’s Last Active on Instagram
There are numerous possible reasons behind you not being able to see someone’s Last Active status on Instagram, and we’ll explore all of them one-by-one below:
Case #1: You’ve never had an interaction with them in DMs
Remember how we mentioned above that on Instagram, the Last Active status is limited just to the DMs section? Well, we weren’t joking when we said that.
In other words, it means that checking someone’s online status from their profile isn’t possible on Instagram, unlike on Facebook. To check one’s online status, you’ll need to have their profile listed in your DMs section, for which you need to interact with them there.
If no interactions have happened between you two on the platform, you can change that right now by sending them a DM.
All you need to do is type their name in the search bar of the DMs section and hit enter. When their profile shows up in the results, tap on it to open the DM window and send them a text. Even a simple Hi! would do.
Case #2: They don’t follow you on Instagram
If you already have a DM conversation with this person (or just started a new one), and their active status is still not showing up, you need to check if this person is following you on the platform.
While following someone is enough to see their content or send them a message, in order for you to be able to check their active status, they need to follow you back as well. This is because, on Instagram, the active status of a user is limited to the people that they follow and not to their followers.
Checking this is quite simple. Just open the Followers list on your profile and type their username in the search bar there. If their name doesn’t show up in the list, it means that they’re not following you back.
However, if they do show up in that list, you can rule this possibility out right away!
e status on the platform, there can be multiple possible reasons behind it. In the next section, we’ll explore these possibilities to help you figure out which one is true in your case.
Case #3: You might be out of their 25-conversations range
If someone is following you and is present in your DMs as well, but you still can’t see their active status, you’ve got to count the place they hold in your DMs.
Are they in the first place, or the second, or third, or tenth? Because if the ranking of your conversation with them is below 25, that could also be why you can’t see their active status. Confused? Allow us to explain.
Instagram has created a well-thought Last Active feature where only the users who interact frequently – the first 25 conversations – have the privilege to learn about each other’s active status. So, if their conversation has gone down in their DMs section, it could impact your ability to see their active status.
The same will happen if your conversation is out of the 25-conversation range in their DMs. So, even if they’re up higher in your DM, sending them a fresh message is a good idea.
If, upon sending a new DM, you’re able to see your active status, then congratulations! Your problem is solved. However, if you can see no changes despite this action, you can cross this possibility out and proceed to the next one with us.
Case #4: They might’ve turned off their LastActivestatus
If you’ve ruled out all three of the aforementioned possibilities, the reason behind your inability to see someone’s active status is probably because they’ve turned their status off. Wondering what that means? Allow us to explain.
Much like Facebook, Instagram has provided all users with an option to hide their active status from other Instagrammers. This setting is available in the Privacy section of your Settings tab. So, if this person has turned their active status off, that might be why you can’t see them online.
Or have you turned off your own Last Activestatus?
Were you aware that turning off one’s active status is a setting that works both ways? This means that when you turn off your own active status, it doesn’t just hide your active status from others but theirs from you as well.
So, the reason why you’re unable to see the Last Activestatus of other Instagrammers could be an issue in your own settings as well. To resolve it, go to your Settings and make sure your active status feature isn’t turned off.
Case #5: They could’ve restricted you.
The restrictoption on Instagrammer was designed to help users who want to stay distant from other users without unfollowing or blocking them. This feature helps with hiding the next person’s comments on your post from other users.
However, it also impacts the DMs; any new message a restricted user sends you will appear in your DMs as a message request. Because of this, your active status will not be visible to them. The same applies when someone restricts you as well.
Wrapping it up
As we’ve approached the end, let’s quickly revisit everything we’ve learned today. We began by talking about the last activefeature on Instagram.
Then, we moved on to discuss why you might not be able to see someone’s last activestatus. Above, you’ll find five possible reasons listed behind it. Did you find our blog helpful? If you did, leave a comment below and let us know!
Also Read:
