How to Hide Your Instagram Activity Status

Late last week, Instagram secretly add a new feature to its app that shows the last time you opened it! If you head to your inbox, you can now see the word "Active" and a time below the names of Instagram users you follow and message on a regular basis.

If you are on Instagram at that very moment, the text "Active now" is shown.

A screenshot from our Instagram Direct inbox. We have blurred out names and photos for privacy.

Of course, many Instagram users were not amused by this as some people simply do not want others to know the exact moment they are using an app. Yes Instagram shows how recently you have liked or commented on content, but this feature can alert others of when you are simply scrolling through your feed.

If you are one of the people who does not want this information to show, it is easy to turn off! Simply head to your Options page via the screw in your profile. Then scroll down to "Show Activity Status." Click to switch the button from blue to white. Now you can peruse Instagram in peace!

Note that if you turn your Activity Status off, you cannot see the activity of others either, which we think is fair.

Showing your status is very similar to how Facebook Messenger shows when someone is active, so we should not be too surprised since Instagram is owned by Facebook. However, it is clear that Instagram users are quick to rebel against Facebook's actions when the company tries to bring similar features over to Instagram.

What do you think about the Instagram Activity Status? Will you leave it on or will you turn it off? 

And if you did not notice this feature, then you probably missed these four Instagram features from the past month!