How to Turn Off Active Status on Snapchat

Snapchat’s active status feature allows other users to see when you are online and actively using the app. Your Bitmoji avatar shows up on the Snap Map indicating your location and availability.

While this can be fun for connecting with friends, there are times when you may want to use Snapchat anonymously without broadcasting your activity.

Some reasons you may want to turn off your active status include:

Avoiding distractions and interruptions from friends.
Keeping your location private.
Using Snapchat discreetly without drawing attention.
Taking a break from conversations and interactions.
Controlling how and when you interact with others.

Snapchat provides options to disable your active status and go incognito. The steps below will show you how to do this easily.

Highlights show

How to Turn Off Active Status on Snapchat

Open the Snapchat app on your iOS or Android device and sign in to your account if you aren’t already logged in.
Here is the Bitmoji avatar icon on the top left corner of the screen and tap on it.
From your profile screen, tap on the gear icon on the top right.
Click on “Privacy Controls” to open the privacy settings.
Click on “See My Location” to manage your location-sharing settings.
Turn on the “Ghost Mode”.
Choose how long you want to remain invisible on Snapchat. You can choose from:
- 3 hours
- 24 hours
- Until Turned Off

And that’s it! Ghost Mode will now hide your active status until you turn it off. You can sneak around on Snapchat privately.

Does Snapchat Show Active Status?

Yes, Snapchat does display a form of active status on the Snap Map feature. When you open Snapchat, your Bitmoji avatar will show up on the map indicating your current location to friends. If you are actively using Snapchat and have location services enabled, your Bitmoji will pop up on the map for your connections to see.

However, Snapchat does not have an “online” indicator dot that some apps like Messenger use. You cannot see a green dot next to a friend’s name denoting they are currently active. The Snap Map provides a broader, recent view of activity and location rather than real-time active status.

Snapchat allows you to customize who can view your location.

All Friends
Selected Friends
Only Me

So you can choose to only share your location with certain friends or no one at all. The steps above to activate Ghost Mode will stop your Bitmoji from popping up on the map entirely.

How Long Do You Stay Active on Snapchat?

When you turn on Ghost Mode, your last known Snapchat location will disappear instantly or within 24 hours from the Snap Map. Here is how it works:

If location services are disabled on your device, your Bitmoji will vanish from the map right away in Ghost Mode.
If location services are still enabled, it can take up to 24 hours for your last location to be removed from the Snap Map.
As soon as you open Snapchat again after turning off Ghost Mode, your Bitmoji will reappear on the map if you have location sharing enabled.

When in Ghost Mode, you will stop actively updating your location on the Snap Map. Any previously visible locations will quickly disappear within 24 hours max.

Conclusion

Snapchat’s active status and Snap Map provide fun ways to connect with friends and see what’s going on around the world. However, maintaining your privacy is also important. By utilizing Ghost Mode, you can easily disable your active status and location sharing when you want to use Snapchat away from prying eyes.

So turn on Ghost Mode, go undercover on Snapchat, and enjoy anonymity without compromising your connections. Just be sure to turn your active status back on when you want to get social again!