WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of WhatsApp’s key features is the ability to show when you’re online or offline. Your online status allows your contacts to see when you’re active on WhatsApp. Going offline or showing as offline lets you use WhatsApp privately without notifying your contacts.
There are a few different ways to show offline or appear offline on WhatsApp depending on whether you’re using an Android device or an iPhone. Here’s a detailed look at how to show offline or appear offline on WhatsApp for both Android and iPhone.
Showing Offline on Android
There are a couple straightforward ways to show offline or appear offline on WhatsApp if you’re using an Android phone or tablet:
- Turn on Airplane mode – Enabling Airplane or Flight mode on your Android device disables all wireless connections, including mobile data and WiFi. This will show you as offline in WhatsApp as long as Airplane mode is on.
- Force close the app – Completely closing out of the WhatsApp app by swiping it away from your recent apps list will show you as offline to your contacts.
- Turn off Internet connection – Turning off your WiFi and mobile data connections will make you appear offline in WhatsApp. Just toggle your connections off via Settings or Quick Settings.
- Limit background data – You can limit WhatsApp’s ability to connect in the background under Settings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > App info > WhatsApp > Battery > Background restriction. Set to “Restrict background data.”
These options essentially prevent WhatsApp being able to connect to the internet and update your online status. As soon as you reconnect, your WhatsApp will show you as online again.
Showing Offline on iPhone
iPhone users have a few similar options to show offline or appear offline in WhatsApp:
- Enable Airplane Mode – Just like on Android, turning on Airplane Mode through Settings or Control Center will cut off all network connections and show you as offline.
- Close the app – Swiping up to fully close out of the WhatsApp app from your recent apps list will make you appear offline to contacts.
- Disable cellular data/WiFi – Turning off WiFi and cellular data manually from Settings or Control Center will appear offline, as WhatsApp won’t be able to connect.
- Limit background refresh – You can limit background refresh for WhatsApp under Settings > General > Background App Refresh. Set WhatsApp to “Wi-Fi” or “Off.”
Again, these all prevent WhatsApp from being able to communicate with their servers to update your online status. As soon as you reenable connections, WhatsApp will show you as online again.
Using Airplane Mode
The easiest and most comprehensive way to show as offline on both iPhone and Android is to enable Airplane Mode. Here are specific steps for each:
Android
- Open Quick Settings (swipe down from the top of the screen).
- Tap the Airplane Mode icon to enable it.
- You’ll now show as offline in WhatsApp as long as Airplane Mode is on.
- To disable, just tap the Airplane Mode icon again in Quick Settings.
iPhone
- Open Control Center (swipe down from top right corner).
- Tap the Airplane Mode icon to turn it on.
- This will make you appear offline on WhatsApp until disabled.
- To turn off, just tap the Airplane Mode icon again.
The only downside to this method is it disables all network connections, so you won’t be able to use anything that requires internet access. But it’s the simplest way to instantly show yourself as offline on WhatsApp.
Closing the App
Another straightforward way to show as offline is to completely close out of the WhatsApp app so it’s not running in the background:
Android
- Tap the Recent Apps button – the square icon in your navigation bar.
- Locate WhatsApp in the list and swipe up to close it.
- This will make you appear offline on WhatsApp.
iPhone
- Double tap the Home button to bring up your recent apps.
- Swipe up on WhatsApp to fully close out of it.
- You’ll now show as offline in WhatsApp.
This method allows you to continue using your phone as normal while showing offline only in WhatsApp. Just be aware that opening WhatsApp again will show you as online.
Disabling Mobile Data and WiFi
You can also show offline by turning off your mobile data and WiFi connections manually:
Android
- Open Settings.
- Tap Network & internet > Wi-Fi and turn off Wi-Fi.
- Tap Network & internet > Mobile network and turn off mobile data.
- You’ll now appear offline in WhatsApp.
- To reenable, go back and turn on Wi-Fi and mobile data.
iPhone
- Open Settings.
- Tap Wi-Fi and turn off Wi-Fi.
- Tap Cellular and turn off Cellular Data.
- This will make you show offline in WhatsApp.
- To resume connections, reenable Wi-Fi and Cellular Data.
This gives you more control over selectively appearing offline only in WhatsApp. But you lose internet connectivity until you reenable Wi-Fi and mobile data.
Limiting Background Data and Refresh
You can also show offline by limiting WhatsApp’s ability to connect in the background:
Android
- Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > App info.
- Select WhatsApp.
- Tap Battery > Background restriction.
- Choose “Restrict background data.”
iPhone
- Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
- Select WhatsApp.
- Choose “Wi-Fi” or “Off.”
This prevents WhatsApp pinging their servers when running in the background but still allows connectivity when the app is open. You’ll appear offline unless actively using WhatsApp.
Using WhatsApp’s Privacy Settings
WhatsApp also has privacy settings that let you control who can see when you’re online. This lets you appear offline to specific contacts only.
To adjust these settings:
- Open WhatsApp Settings.
- Go to Account > Privacy.
- Tap Last Seen & Online.
- Select an option like “My Contacts Except…” to exclude specific contacts.
This gives you granular control to show offline to certain contacts but remain visible to others. Useful for hiding your activity from work colleagues or acquaintances for example.
Troubleshooting Tips
Here are some troubleshooting tips if you’re having issues showing offline or appearing offline on WhatsApp:
- Check background data restrictions haven’t been turned on for WhatsApp under your device settings.
- Make sure WhatsApp is fully force closed or swiped away from your recent/active apps list.
- Try toggling Airplane Mode on and off to disconnect and reconnect.
- Restart your device to clear any memory issues.
- Check WhatsApp doesn’t have permission to always run in the background under app settings.
- Try reinstalling WhatsApp if issues persist.
Appearing Online Again
Once you want to appear online again on WhatsApp, it’s simply a matter of undoing whatever you did to show offline:
- Turn off Airplane Mode if enabled.
- Reopen WhatsApp if you force closed it.
- Reenable WiFi/mobile data if disabled.
- Remove any WhatsApp background data restrictions.
This will reconnect WhatsApp to the internet and show your contacts you’re online again. Just bear in mind that as soon as WhatsApp can communicate with its servers, your online status will update.
Conclusion
Showing offline or appearing offline on WhatsApp is easy to do on both iPhone and Android. The quickest ways are enabling Airplane Mode, force closing the app, or disabling mobile data and WiFi.
You can also limit WhatsApp’s background connectivity or use its Privacy settings to selectively show offline to certain contacts only.
With WhatsApp’s overwhelming popularity, being able to control your online visibility can be important for privacy. Hopefully this guide has helped explain exactly how to show offline or appear offline at your discretion.
| Method | Android | iPhone |
|---|---|---|
| Airplane Mode | Quick Settings > Tap Airplane Mode | Control Center > Tap Airplane Mode |
| Close App | Recent Apps > Swipe up on WhatsApp | Double Home Button > Swipe up WhatsApp |
| Disable Connections | Settings > Turn off WiFi & Mobile Data | Settings > Turn off WiFi & Cellular Data |
| Background Limits | Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Background restriction | Settings > General > Background App Refresh |