WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the features that makes WhatsApp so popular is the ability to make voice and video calls to other users. However, many users want to know how to make WhatsApp calls without showing their online status to others.
Understanding WhatsApp Online Status
When you open WhatsApp, you are automatically shown as “online” to your contacts. This online status will remain for as long as WhatsApp is open and in the foreground on your device. Once you close WhatsApp or switch to another app, your status will change to “last seen at” with the time you were last using WhatsApp actively. This lets your contacts know when you were last online and active on WhatsApp.
The same thing happens when you are on a WhatsApp call. Your contacts can see that you are online and using WhatsApp during the call. Your online status will remain for a few seconds after the call ends before changing to “last seen at.”
Why Users Want to Hide Their Online Status
There are a few reasons why users may want to hide their online WhatsApp status when on a call:
- Privacy – To prevent contacts from knowing when they are actively using WhatsApp
- Avoid disruptions – To prevent contacts from calling or messaging during important or personal calls
- Appear unavailable – To seem offline or busy to certain contacts
The ability to hide your online status gives you more control over your availability and privacy on WhatsApp.
How to Hide Online Status on WhatsApp
There are a couple of methods you can use to hide your online status and remain “invisible” to contacts when on a WhatsApp call:
Use WhatsApp Web
One of the easiest ways to hide your online status during WhatsApp calls is to use WhatsApp Web instead of the mobile app. Here’s how it works:
- Open the WhatsApp Web page on your computer browser and scan the QR code with your phone to link it.
- Once linked, make and receive WhatsApp calls directly in your browser.
- Your online status will remain hidden on your phone as long as you don’t open the mobile app.
The advantage of using WhatsApp Web is that it allows you to continue using WhatsApp on your computer while keeping your online status invisible on your phone. Just make sure not to open the WhatsApp mobile app during this time or it will override the web status.
Use a Third-party App
If you want to hide your online status directly on your phone, you can use a third-party app like Flychat, FlyChat – Hide Chats & Status, Hide Online Status for WA, or Wabest. These apps work by suppressing or overriding your active online status so contacts won’t see it. Some key features of these apps include:
- Completely hiding your online status from all contacts
- Customizing visibility to show online only to select contacts
- Scheduling online invisibility during certain times or days
- Quickly toggling your online status on and off
The advantage of third-party apps is the ability to fully customize and control your WhatsApp availability right from your phone. However, they require installing an additional app and may have paid premium features.
Use Airplane Mode
A simple trick to hide your online status during a WhatsApp call is to turn on Airplane mode on your phone before making or answering the call. Because Airplane mode disconnects you from the internet, WhatsApp will be unable to update your online status:
- Turn on Airplane mode on your device before making/receiving a WhatsApp call.
- Your online status will remain offline or show your last seen status.
- After the call, you can turn Airplane mode off to reconnect to the internet.
This prevents WhatsApp from updating your online status until after the call when you disable Airplane mode. However, remember to turn off Airplane mode after or you won’t receive any new messages or calls.
Other WhatsApp Privacy Settings
In addition to hiding your online status, WhatsApp provides other privacy settings to control your availability and last seen status:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Last Seen | Allows you to show your last seen to Everyone, My Contacts, or Nobody. |
| Profile Photo | Lets you select who can see your profile photo. |
| About | Allows you to control who can see your About info. |
| Read Receipts | Lets you turn read receipts On or Off for your messages. |
Using these settings, you can fine-tune the information that is visible to your contacts on WhatsApp for maximum privacy.
Conclusion
Hiding your online status in WhatsApp is easy to do for more privacy. The best options are using WhatsApp Web, third-party apps, or Airplane mode to prevent your status showing as online during calls. Make sure to also adjust your last seen, profile photo, about, and read receipt settings for full control over your availability.
With these simple tips, you can enjoy your WhatsApp calls without worrying about your contacts seeing your online status. This gives you more freedom to use WhatsApp while maintaining your privacy when wanted.