Online status and last seen
Manage presence visibility and understand Online, Status hidden and last-seen information.
Where to find it
Sign in to your account first
In this guide
A conversation header can show Online, a last-seen time, Status hidden or unavailable last-seen information. These labels provide context; they do not promise an immediate response. Your preference is under Dashboard → Settings → Privacy: Show my online status. It controls the visibility of both online presence and last-seen information in communication.
Before changing presence visibility
- Sign in to the intended account and let its current privacy preferences load.
- Decide whether you want general presence visibility; blocking is available for an unwanted individual contact.
Example: hidden presence with available messages
You turn off presence visibility and save. Your contact sees Status hidden but can still message when no other restriction applies. Block the account to prevent its messages, or change the separate calling preference to disable calls for everyone.
Respect hidden presence
A hidden status does not explain a missing reply. Avoid services requesting a password or code to reveal hidden activity. Presence visibility does not remove public profile information; review published contacts separately.
Change your visibility
Open your saved preferences
Sign in and open the Privacy tab in dashboard Settings. Wait for the saved values to load. Mobile uses the same tab and switch; there is no separate chat menu you need to find for this preference.
Choose the switch state
Turn off Show my online status if you do not want other users to see your presence or last-seen time in conversations. Turn it on to restore visibility. This tab does not offer a separate last-seen-only switch.
Save and verify
Select Save and wait for success. If saving fails, check the connection before retrying. Reopening the tab should show the selected state. Another participant’s chat may need to refresh its data before the change appears there.
What the chat label means
| Online | Recent activity was detected in an open FayVay page while visibility was allowed. It does not establish that the person is reading your conversation, holding the phone or ready to accept a call. |
|---|---|
| Recently seen / last seen | This is the last available activity information, not continuous tracking of a person. A background tab, switching apps or losing connectivity can affect it. Different screens do not necessarily update at exactly the same moment. |
| Status hidden | Presence information is not being displayed. Do not infer that the person is offline, has blocked you or has disabled messages. Presence visibility is separate and does not explain why someone has not replied. |
| Last seen unavailable | There is no available timestamp to display. This does not establish account deletion or a messaging failure. Check the conversation and its actual messages when investigating delivery. |
What the preference covers
Hiding presence does not remove a public listing, photographs, published contacts or messages. It does not disable calls or block another account. Use Allow audio and video calls to change general calling availability and blocking for a particular contact. Public catalog Online labels and filters concern listings; do not treat them as a response promise or an exact mirror of chat presence.
If presence information is confusing
Why does the time change after reopening?
Activity and chat refreshes update the information. Returning from a background state can reveal fresher data. Check connectivity and refresh the conversation before drawing conclusions about the other person’s behavior.
Can I hide presence from one person only?
The current tab provides an account-wide setting. Use blocking to stop unwanted communication, considering its effect on messages and calls. There is no separate presence-visibility exception list in this tab.
Can I reveal a hidden last-seen time?
There is no user tool for bypassing hidden presence. Respect the privacy choice and do not give account access to services promising hidden activity information. Use an ordinary message to ask about communication when appropriate.
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