Viber is a popular messaging app used by millions worldwide for free calls, texts, and media sharing. While it's great for staying connected, you might prefer to keep your activity private at times. Whether you want to avoid interruptions or maintain privacy, Viber lets you control who sees when you're online and when you've read messages.
Understanding Viber Status Features
Viber shows two main status indicators to your contacts:
- Online status: Shows when you're actively using the Viber app
- Seen status: Displays when you've read someone's message
- Last seen: Shows the last time you were active on Viber
These statuses appear in individual chat windows and help contacts know when you're available. However, you can easily disable them if you prefer more privacy.
Step-by-Step Guide to Hide Your Status
Follow these simple steps to hide your online and seen status on both Android and iOS devices:
- 1.Open the Viber app on your smartphone
- 2.Tap the "More" option (usually three horizontal lines or dots)
- 3.Select "Settings" from the menu
- 4.Tap "Privacy" to access privacy controls
Once you're in the Privacy section, you'll find two key options at the top:
- Share "online" status - Turn this off to hide when you're online
- Send "seen" status - Disable this to prevent read receipts
Simply tap each toggle to turn them off. The app automatically saves your changes when you exit the settings.
Notes
There's one key limitation to be aware of: you can only change the "Share online status" setting once every 24 hours. If you change your mind after turning it off, you'll need to wait a full day before you can turn it back on. Viber will notify you when you can make changes again.
When you hide your online status, you also won't be able to see when your contacts are online. This works both ways - your privacy comes at the cost of visibility into others' activity status.
Why Hide Your Status?
People choose to hide their Viber status for various reasons:
- Reduce distractions by avoiding incoming messages when you're busy
- Maintain privacy about when you're active on the app
- Control response expectations by not showing when you've read messages
- Professional boundaries during work hours
Viber's privacy settings give you control over your digital presence, letting you use the app on your own terms while staying connected with friends and family.
