TikTok shows when you’re active on the app by displaying a green dot next to your profile name. This active status indicator allows your friends and followers to see when you’re currently using TikTok. If you prefer to browse TikTok privately without broadcasting your activity, you can turn off the active status feature.
What does the green dot mean on TikTok?
The green dot indicator on TikTok appears when you open the TikTok app. It signals to your connections that you’re presently active on TikTok. When you close the app or switch to another app, the green dot will disappear after a few minutes.
The active status feature makes it easy to see when your friends are on TikTok and potentially available to interact through likes, comments, messages, and more. However, some users want to control their availability and browse more discreetly without the active status exposing their activity.
Why turn off active status on TikTok?
Here are some reasons you may want to turn off the active status indicator on TikTok:
- Avoid distractions – Disable active status to browse uninterrupted without notifications pulling you into conversations.
- Increase privacy – Don’t broadcast when you’re on TikTok if you want to keep your activity private.
- Reduce social pressure – Prevent the expectation to instantly like or comment back when friends see you’re online.
- Avoid unwanted messages – Some users try to message you as soon as they see you’re active.
How to turn off active status on TikTok
TikTok doesn’t have a direct setting to turn off active status, but you can prevent the green dot from appearing through these methods:
Turn off access to your activity status
You can stop specific friends and followers from seeing your active status indicator by changing their access to this info:
- Open your profile and tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
- Select “Privacy and safety.”
- Tap “Activity status.”
- Under “Allow others to see my activity status,” select “My friends can see my activity status.”
This will limit your active status visibility to only friends who follow you back. Other followers won’t see the green dot indicating you’re online.
Use TikTok in a web browser
The TikTok website doesn’t show active status at all. Use TikTok in your mobile web browser and the green dot won’t display to any of your connections when you’re browsing your feed or interacting with content.
To use TikTok on the web:
- Go to TikTok.com in your phone’s web browser.
- Log into your account.
- You can now use TikTok normally without the active status appearing.
Enable Airplane mode
Turning on Airplane mode blocks all connections and disables your active status visibility:
- Swipe down from the top of your screen to open Control Center.
- Tap the Airplane icon to enable Airplane mode.
- Open TikTok and use the app while in Airplane mode to remove the active status.
- Don’t forget to turn off Airplane mode when you’re done!
Log out of TikTok
Logging out of TikTok entirely will prevent any active status from appearing. Just remember to log back in each time you want to use TikTok again.
- Go to your TikTok profile.
- Tap the three line menu in the top right corner.
- Select “Log out.”
- Your active status won’t show until you log back into TikTok.
Does turning off active status remove you from others’ Following lists?
No, disabling your active status doesn’t unfollow or block your connections on TikTok. You will still appear on your followers’ Following lists even if they can’t see your online status. The only change is they won’t see the green dot indicating you’re presently active in the app.
Can you see who views your TikTok profile?
Unlike other social media platforms, TikTok doesn’t have a view tracking feature. You’re unable to see who views your TikTok profile or keeps tabs on your activity. Disabling your active status merely prevents followers from knowing when you’re online.
While you can’t see profile views, your TikTok analytics provide insight into how many followers interact with your content. In the app, tap your profile icon > Content and analytics > Videos to analyze performance metrics for each video.
Turn off active status for more private browsing
The green active status dot gives TikTok users helpful context on when their friends are most engaged on the app. But if you prefer using TikTok privately, you can control your activity visibility through your device settings, TikTok web, and adjusting the active status privacy option.
With active status disabled, you’re able to peruse TikTok at your leisure without broadcasting whenever you’re online. Just toggle it back on whenever you feel like actively interacting with your TikTok community.
