Whether you’re impatient to receive a reply to an important message, or are nervous that the crush you just DM’d is ghosting you, knowing how to see when someone was last active on Instagram can help to soothe your fears, inform you as to someone’s likely reply-time, or confirm the worst.
You can see when someone was last active on the desktop, mobile, and tablet version of the Instagram app. To learn how to do so, simply follow our DIY tutorials below. For all other information, or if you have any other questions, please direct your attention to our FAQ section at the end of this article.
Table of Contents
How to see when someone was last active on Instagram (iOS/Android)
- Open up the Instagram app on your mobile/tablet device and sign in if prompted
- From the homepage, tap the paper airplane icon (Direct Messages icon) situated in the top-right of the screen
- From the list of all your active Direct Messages, scroll down to locate, and then tap on the user whose active status you wish to find out
- Once in the chat window with this user, you should be able to see whether they are currently active, or if not, then the last time they were active (i.e. on Instagram) – this information will be displayed below their username at the top of the chat window.
- Note: If you cannot find this information, then it is likely that the user has disabled the ‘Show activity status’ setting in their Instagram privacy settings.
How to see when someone was last active on Instagram (desktop)
- Open your preferred web browser and navigate to the Instagram website, sign into your profile is prompted
- Click the paper airplane icon (Direct Messages icon) located in the top-right of the page, to the right of the Homepage icon
- From the sidebar of the Direct Messages page, you’ll see a list of all your currently active DMs, scroll through it and click on the conversation with the person whose activity status you wish to learn
- Once in the chat window with this user, you should be able to see whether they are currently active, or if not, then the last time they were active (i.e. on Instagram) – this information will be displayed below their username at the top of the chat window.
- Note: If you cannot find this information, then it is likely that the user has disabled the ‘Show activity status’ setting in their Instagram privacy settings
- Note: If you cannot find this information, then it is likely that the user has disabled the ‘Show activity status’ setting in their Instagram privacy settings
And that’s all there is to it! Once you know how to find out when someone was last active on Instagram, the process is a breeze. Just remember that lots of people elect not to share this information, so don’t be surprised if you’re left in the dark!
For any additional information on the subject, or if you still have unanswered questions, please see our FAQ section below.
Frequently asked questions
Why would I want to know when someone was last active on Instagram?
Instagram’s DM’s (direct messages) have become such a popular means of messaging between friends, family, and colleagues, that Facebook (who own Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and globally-popular messaging service WhatsApp) are actually in the process of merging Instagram’s DMs with Facebook Messenger.
If you’re a regular user of WhatsApp or FB Messenger, you’ll know that you’re usually able to see when someone was last active on the app when in the chat window with that person. This information is super useful! If you’re looking for an immediate reply from someone, for example, and can see that they haven’t been online on Instagram for days, then you’re probably going to want to find some alternative means of messaging them (like a phone call) which might get their attention sooner.
Similarly, if you’ve sent a DM on Instagram and haven’t received a reply – maybe you’re sat at home wondering that you’ve offended or scared of the person – knowing when they were last online can help allay your fears (or, of course, confirm them).
Can I see when anyone was last active on Instagram?
No. Being able to see when someone was last active on Instagram depends entirely on that user’s personal privacy settings on the Instagram app. You can choose to disable ‘Activity status’, ensuring that no one can see when you are or were last online. If someone has this feature disabled, you will not be able to see when they were last active no matter how hard you try.
Furthermore, you will only be able to see the active status of those people you follow and have successfully struck up a DM window with.
How do I stop people seeing when I was last active on Instagram?
As we mentioned above, it is entirely possible for you to stop other people from being able to see when you were last active on Instagram, if this feature feels a little off-putting to you. To do so, open Instagram and tap on your profile picture in the bottom-right. Next, tap the three horizontal bars (the ‘Hamburger menu’) in the top-right. From the pop-up menu, select ‘Settings’. Next, select ‘Privacy’. Scroll down to and tap on ‘Activity status’. Lastly, toggle ‘Show activity status’ from ON (blue) to OFF (grey).
