How to Hide and Remove Last Seen Status in WhatsApp Chats

WhatsApp’s “last seen” feature shows your contacts the last time you were active on WhatsApp. While this can be useful, it can also feel like an invasion of privacy. Fortunately, WhatsApp allows you to control who can see your last seen status.

Why You Might Want to Hide Your Last Seen

Here are some reasons why you may want to hide your last seen status on WhatsApp:

  • Privacy – You may not want everyone knowing when you’re online and active. Hiding it gives you more privacy.
  • Avoid unwanted conversations – By hiding your last seen, you can avoid people seeing when you’re online and messaging you when you don’t want to talk.
  • Appear offline – Making yourself appear offline can be useful if you want to ignore someone or just have some alone time.

How to Hide Your Last Seen on Android and iPhone

Hiding your last seen status is easy to do on both Android and iPhone devices. Here are the steps:

On Android

  1. Open WhatsApp and tap the three dots menu in the top-right corner.
  2. Go to Settings > Account > Privacy.
  3. Tap Last seen.
  4. Choose from the following options:
    • Nobody – No one can see your last seen status
    • My contacts – Only your contacts can see it
    • Everyone – All WhatsApp users can see it

On iPhone

  1. Open WhatsApp and go to the Settings tab.
  2. Tap on Account > Privacy > Last Seen.
  3. Select Nobody, My Contacts, or Everyone.

That’s it! Your last seen status will now be hidden according to your selection.

Removing Your Last Seen Entirely

In addition to just hiding your last seen, you can also fully remove it so it never shows for anyone. However, this also means you won’t be able to see anyone else’s last seen either.

To remove last seen entirely:

  1. Go to Privacy > Last Seen.
  2. Choose the Nobody option.

Your last seen status will now be permanently removed.

Using Third-Party Apps (Use Caution)

There are also various third-party apps that claim to be able to hide your last seen status on WhatsApp. However, be very cautious with these as WhatsApp does not allow or endorse these types of apps. Using them could get your account banned.

Conclusion

  • WhatsApp’s last seen feature can reveal more than you want.
  • You can hide your last seen status from everyone, contacts only, or no one.
  • Fully removing last seen is also an option but prevents you from seeing others’ status.
  • Use WhatsApp’s built-in settings rather than third-party apps to avoid a ban.

Hiding your last seen gives you more privacy and control over WhatsApp. Adjust the settings to your comfort level.