When you message someone on Instagram and they don’t reply, it’s natural to wonder if they’re online, even if they claim otherwise. Fortunately, there’s a way to discreetly check if someone is active on Instagram, provided their account settings allow it. Here’s how you can do it without catching them off guard.
Step 1: Enable Activity Status Sharing
To begin, you’ll need to share your activity status with others, and they must do the same for you. Follow these steps:
- Open Instagram and tap the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.
- Select “Settings.”
- Scroll down and choose “Privacy.”
- Locate the “Activity Status” option.
- Enable this option to allow others to see if you’re online or your last active status.
By sharing your activity status, you’ll gain the ability to see if someone in your network is currently using Instagram.
Step 2: Detecting Online Status
Once you’ve activated the activity status sharing feature, you can quickly determine if someone is online on Instagram by following these steps:
- Launch the Instagram app.
- Locate the paper airplane icon with an arrow in the top-right corner (this represents your direct messages).
- Search for the person’s name you’re interested in among your message threads.
- If the person is online, a small green circle will appear next to their profile picture. It may also display “Active Now” beneath their name.
- If you open the chat with them, you can see their current activity status, such as whether they’re in the chat or using the camera.
- If no green circle is present, you may see their last active hour or no information at all.
If you don’t see their online status or last active hour, it’s possible that they’ve been offline for an extended period. To initiate this information exchange, you can send them a message. However, remember that some users may prefer not to share their activity status, leaving you in the dark regarding their current Instagram activity.
Please note that even if someone has hidden their activity status, they could still be using Instagram, especially if they have engaged in public activity, posted content, liked posts, or commented on others’ content. In such cases, their online status may remain a mystery.
In conclusion, discovering if someone is online on Instagram without their knowledge is attainable with the activity status sharing feature. However, some users may choose to maintain their privacy, so this method may not always yield results.
