WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the key features of WhatsApp is the ability to see when your contacts are online and using the app. However, some users prefer to hide their online status and last seen time to avoid being bothered by others.
If someone has hidden their online status, the timestamps under their name will not show up. Instead, it will say “Last seen a long time ago.” This can be frustrating if you want to see if a specific contact is actively online and available to chat.
Fortunately, there are a few tricks and workarounds that allow you to detect if a contact is online and using WhatsApp, even if they have hidden their status.
Use WhatsApp Web/Desktop App
One of the easiest ways to see if someone is online on WhatsApp is by using the WhatsApp Web browser version or desktop app. When someone is active on the mobile app, their profile picture will also show as active and online on Web/Desktop version.
To use this method:
- Open WhatsApp Web on your computer browser or install the WhatsApp Desktop app.
- Log in using the QR code to sync your chats from your mobile device.
- Look for the contact you want to check and see if their profile picture has a green dot, indicating they are online.
This is one of the simplest ways to detect if a contact is actively using WhatsApp on their phone, even if they show last seen long ago on mobile. One limitation is that it only works if the person you are checking is also using WhatsApp Web/Desktop at the same time.
Send a Message and Check if it’s Delivered
Another trick is to directly send the contact a message and see if it gets delivered immediately. If your message goes straight to “delivered”, it means the person has WhatsApp open and active on their phone.
Normally, if someone has the app closed, any messages will remain pending or on “sent” until they open WhatsApp again. But if you see “delivered”, it confirms they have the app open in the foreground and are online.
While not completely foolproof, this method can let you detect active WhatsApp usage if your message gets delivered instantly. One caveat is that the contact could still be online but ignore or not notice your message for a while before reading it.
Check Their Profile Photo
An often overlooked way to detect WhatsApp activity status is to check if the contact’s profile picture is dimmed or bright. When someone is actively online, their profile picture in your chat will be brightly visible. As soon as they exit the app or go offline, the profile picture becomes dimmed and slightly greyed out.
By frequently checking if a contact’s profile photo is dim or bright, you can gauge if they may be online and actively using WhatsApp. This method works best if you already know around what time the person is usually on WhatsApp.
Use Third-Party Apps
There are several third party apps and tools available that can notify you or track a WhatsApp contact’s online status, even if they hide their last seen. Some popular options include:
- WhatsTracker: Android app that notifies you when select contacts come online on WhatsApp.
- TrackMyStatus: Website and app that tracks hidden WhatsApp status of added contacts.
- Spy360: Cell phone monitoring app that tracks WhatsApp activity of target device.
However, many of these third party services may violate WhatsApp terms of use or involve installing software on the target device. Users should be cautious of privacy and security concerns with these tools.
Use Developer Options
For advanced Android users, there are some developer settings that can help reveal if a contact is hiding their online status:
- Enable Developer options on your Android device
- Go to “Wireless & Networks” settings
- Toggle on “Force offline mode in Dev settings”
- Force close and restart WhatsApp
After enabling this developer option, hidden contacts will show last seen time from 1969 whenever they are actively online and using WhatsApp. However, normal users won’t see any difference from your end.
This method involves toggling developer settings and requires root access on some devices. Regular users should avoid messing with developer options.
Jailbreak Your iPhone
For iPhone users, jailbreaking your device can unlock extensions that allow seeing the hidden online and last seen status of WhatsApp contacts. Popular tweaks like Watusi and WhatsAppPlus add this capability.
However, jailbreaking removes many iPhone security barriers and can risk bricking your device if done incorrectly. Most average users should not jailbreak just to access hidden WhatsApp info.
Use WhatsApp Business API
WhatsApp offers a Business API that enables businesses to integrate WhatsApp messaging into their systems. Using the Business API, it may be possible to develop apps that can detect the online status of users, even with hidden last seen.
But this would require technical expertise and approval from WhatsApp to access the Business API. It is not a practical option for most regular users.
Chat with Them on a Different App
If all else fails, try reaching out to the contact on a different messaging app like Facebook Messenger or iMessage. Since WhatsApp and Facebook notifications are linked, if the person responds on Messenger, it likely means they also have WhatsApp open.
You can also make a phone call to see if they answer – active voice calls take priority over WhatsApp notifications. If they are able to receive your call, their WhatsApp app is likely open in the background.
Conclusion
Trying to see if someone is secretly online and active on WhatsApp when they have hidden their status is tricky. There are no guaranteed methods that will work perfectly every time.
Your best options are to use WhatsApp Web/Desktop, watch for delivered messages, check their profile photo brightness, or try contacting them on other apps. However, always respect someone’s privacy – if they want to stay hidden, avoid pestering them continuously.
With billions of users, WhatsApp has become a platform many rely on for everyday communications. Understanding how to detect some basic activity status can help resolve when your contacts are available, even if their online status remains hidden most of the time.
WhatsApp’s developers are constantly tweaking the app and closing activity loopholes. So some tricks may stop working after app updates. But users are also finding new techniques to uncover status, leading to a continuous cat-and-mouse game on the world’s top messaging platform.
| Method | How it Works | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp Web/Desktop | See if profile picture is green dot online | Only works if contact also active on Web/Desktop |
| Send message | Check if delivered instantly | Contact could be online but not view msg |
| Profile photo | Check if dim or bright | Need to monitor frequently |
| Third party apps | Dedicated tracker tools | Privacy concerns, TOS violations |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does airplane mode show you online on WhatsApp?
No, enabling airplane mode will show you as offline on WhatsApp, even if you have the app open. Network connectivity is required for WhatsApp to detect your online status.
Can you see active WhatsApp Web users?
Yes, any contacts who are actively using WhatsApp Web will show with a green indicator dot, even if they have hidden last seen on mobile. Their profile pic will also be bright instead of dimmed out.
Does deleting WhatsApp delete the messages?
No, uninstalling or deleting WhatsApp will not delete the message history. Messages are saved in device storage or iCloud backup. You need to clear WhatsApp data before uninstalling to erase messages.
Can WhatsApp notify if someone comes online?
There is no official WhatsApp feature to notify when a contact comes online. However, some third party apps claim to provide notifications when hidden contacts activate WhatsApp.
Does turning off read receipts hide your online status?
No, disabling read receipts only stops sending read notifications to your contacts. It does not affect your online/last seen privacy settings, which must be changed separately.
Can you see someone’s WhatsApp status if they blocked you?
No, if someone blocks you on WhatsApp, you will no longer be able to see their profile picture, status, or any other activity indicator on the app.
Is there a WhatsApp setting to hide your status from specific people?
Currently, WhatsApp does not allow hiding your status from selected contacts. The privacy setting is either to show status to everyone, contacts only, or disable it completely for all users.
Can iPhone apps like WhatsTools reveal hidden WhatsApp statuses?
Unlikely, as seeing someone’s hidden status would require intercepting WhatsApp network data. Third party iPhone apps do not have API access or capability to bypass status privacy.
Will closing WhatsApp completely hide your online status?
Yes, force closing the WhatsApp app will show you as offline to all contacts. Your profile photo will dim and last seen will not update until you restart WhatsApp on your device.
Can you get in trouble for using WhatsApp spy apps?
Yes, using apps that secretly monitor someone’s WhatsApp activity without consent may violate laws in many regions. Users have responsibility to respect others’ privacy.