Before you start
- WhatsApp or Telegram
Method 1 WhatsApp
It’s reciprocal: if you hide your last seen, you can’t see others’ last seen either.
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Step 1: Open privacy settings
Go to Settings > Privacy > Last seen and online.
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Step 2: Hide last seen
Under Who can see my last seen, choose Nobody, My contacts or My contacts except….
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Step 3: Hide online
Under Who can see when I’m online, choose Same as last seen.
Method 2 Telegram
Others see an approximate status like “last seen recently” instead of the exact time. Hiding your status also hides theirs from you, unless you have Telegram Premium.
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Step 1: Open privacy settings
Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Last Seen & Online.
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Step 2: Choose Nobody
Select Nobody (or My Contacts).
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Step 3: Add exceptions
Use Always Share With or Never Share With for specific people.
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Step 4: Hide read time
Turn on Hide Read Time if available.
Troubleshooting
People still see me online
In WhatsApp, check Who can see when I’m online is set to Same as last seen, and last seen is Nobody or excludes them.
Frequently asked questions
Can I appear offline while using WhatsApp?
Yes, with last seen set to Nobody and online to Same as last seen.
Will people know I changed this?
They’re not notified, but may notice they can’t see your status.
Summary
In WhatsApp, set Last seen to Nobody and Online to Same as last seen. In Telegram, set Last Seen & Online to Nobody with any exceptions you want.
