How to See If Someone Is Active on Instagram?

Elsa Updated on May 21, 2025 Filed to: Parent Control

Instagram is one of the free online photo-sharing apps and a popular social network. It not only allows us to share moments from our lives but also serves as a window to stay updated on the activities of our friends and family. However, Instagram does not directly provide the function of viewing other people’s online status, so how can we know if someone is browsing their updates, or when they were active on the platform recently?In this article, we will share several ways to see if someone is online or active on Instagram.

see if someone is active on Instagram

Part 1: How to See If Someone Is Active on Instagram?

You can tell if someone is online on Instagram by checking their Activity Status (green dot) and typing indicator, or sending them direct messages.

Method 1: Check the Green Dot

Are you seeking ways to check Instagram online status without messaging them? Then, the green dot symbol from your direct messages can help you!

When you notice a green dot next to someone's profile, it indicates that the person is active on Instagram at that moment. Conversely, if the green dot is not appearing, they are not online currently.

Here's how to see if someone is online on Instagram without messaging them:

    1. Step 1.Launch Instagram app or visit instagram.com.
    2. Step 2.Go to the "Messages" section and scroll down.
    3. Step 3.If you find a green dot next to someone's profile picture or a status like "Active now," it means they are active on Instagram. Otherwise, they are offline for now.

the green dot

This way only works if both you and the other person have "Show Activity Status" enabled in the Instagram privacy settings. So, if you don't see a green dot, it likely means either of you has the "Activity Status" turned off, or they haven't been active recently.

Method 2: Look at the Typing Indicator

In addition to the green dot, Instagram shows a person's activity status in the direct messaging inbox, such as the typing indicator. This usually appears in the chat window with a dynamic "..." icon, indicating that the person is typing on Instagram.

Here is how to see if someone is active on Instagram without messaging via the typing indicator feature:

    1. Step 1.On Instagram, go to the "Messages" section and open the chat with the person whose online status you need to check.
    2. Step 2.Once you notice "Typing..." in the chat window, it shows they are online right now.

Direct Messaging

Method 3: Send Direct Messages

This is another straightforward way of checking whether someone is active on Instagram.

As we all know, when someone is reading your messages, the "Seen" status shows immediately to inform you. Therefore, send a DM and then check if the "Seen" status appears.

If you find "Seen just now" under your sent message, it's a strong indication that they are likely still active on the platform.

Instagram Seen

Keep in mind that if either you or the other party has read receipts disabled, this way won't work anymore.

Part 2: How to See When Someone Was Last Active on Instagram?

The 'last active' status on Instagram lets you see which friends are online and when they were last online. You can also see if they've uploaded anything new. When someone is "online on Instagram," it's possible that person is not only active but also scrolling through the feed or looking at various posts. It can be useful to know when someone is online on Instagram, for example, if you want to message them or see how active they are. To do this, you can look at their activity status. With the 'last active' status, you can see what friends are online and when they were last online. You can also see if they have uploaded anything new. There is a way to determine if someone was last active on their profile.

    1. Step 1.Launch Instagram on your mobile. Hit the mail icon to open a list of followers/friends or type the username of the concerned person in the search bar.
    2. Step 2.Either way, you will see a list of people. Hit Message.
    3. Step 3.Inside the message window, if the person was last active a few hours ago, the status there will show Active Few Hours Ago. It indicates the person was online on Instagram a couple of hours earlier.

last active

Here’s what you need to be careful about when you use this method to see when someone was last active on Instagram:

  • Accounts you have had direct messages with
  • Accounts who follow you
  • Accounts who have their activity status turned on
  • Accounts who haven’t blocked you and satisfy all three options above

Part 3: How to Monitor Your Kid's Instagram Activity?

Many parents are concerned about what their children do on social media, specifically Instagram. Parents can use this app on iOS and Android devices, and it cannot be easy to protect your children. There are many things that your children might be posting on Instagram that you don't want them to, such as images or comments that could be harmful or embarrassing. Parents need to be aware of the risks of using this app and help their children stay safe.

But software ensures your kid is doing fine while using Instagram or any social media platform. One of the great activity-tracking software is the AirDroid Parental Control. It offers parents various security and monitoring features to keep an eye on what their kids are up to.

AirDroid Parental Control

Below is the software's setup procedure:

Step 1. Install AirDroid Parental Control on target and also source phones. 

Step 2. Create an account and log in. 

Step 3. Now install AirDroid Kids on the targeted phone and pair it with your phone. Then parents can monitor their child's activity from wherever they want. 

With the help of this software, parents can monitor their child's Instagram's activity on their mobile phones. It gives parents peace of mind, knowing they can always check in on their child's whereabouts and know what they're doing.

FAQs about Instagram Activity Status

1. How to See and Turn off Last Seen in Instagram?
Elsa
Elsa

Here are the steps to see and turn off last see in Instagram

Step 1: Go to your profile, and click on Setting

Step 2: Tap "Privacy and then Security". 

Step 3: Now hit "Show Activity Status" then uncheck the box.

2. Why Can't I See Someone's Last Active Status?
Elsa
Elsa

There may be two reasons for that. Either someone has disabled activity status. Another reason is that If your activity status is turned off, you will also not see who was active last time.

3. How Accurate Is Instagram's Activity Status?
Elsa
Elsa

The "Active now" status is not accurate everytime. Sometimes, even if the person has left the app moments ago, their "Active now" status will still show.

4.How to Hide Your Instagram Activity or Online Status?
Elsa
Elsa

If anybody doesn't want their activity to appear before friends, one can disable the green dot function. This is how to do it:

Step 1: Go to your profile on Instagram by tapping on your profile picture in the lower right corner. Now, tap the icon having three lines.

Step 2: Now click Settings then Privacy.

Step 3: Click on the Activity Status option.

Step 4: Finally, Toggle off Show Activity Status.

turn off show activity status

5. How to View Instagram Anonymously?
Elsa
Elsa

You can view Instagram anonymously using AirDroid Parental Control software. This is useful when you want to monitor another person’s or your child’s activity without them knowing.

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Elsa has worked on a number of iOS & Android solutions, she can always find her way around almost any application. She is an accomplished, skilled and versatile writer with more than 7 years of technical article writing experience.
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