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What Does Active Today Mean On Instagram?

Ever wonder what is the meaning of “Active Today” on Instagram? Well, in this article, you will get all the information you need about this particular status on Instagram.

While the phrase itself is pretty much self-explanatory, it has a deeper meaning that you might want to know, and also a little more complicated than one may think.

Throughout the end of this guide, you will surely learn a few interesting and useful information about the term. Thus, make sure you stick with us till the end.

What Does Active Today Mean on Instagram?

The status “Active today” on Instagram Direct Message (DM) actually means that the person has not been online in the past 8 to 24 hours. Which means if the user has been active for the past 8 to 24 hours, Instagram will show “Active today” for them.

Active Now Instagram Meaning

Active Now On Instagram Example

So what about users that logged into Instagram within the last 8 hours, how will Instagram present their status? In this case, the status you will see is “Active X minutes/hours ago”.

Here some example for a clearer picture:

A friend that you have been chatting with on Instagram has recently been active on Instagram 3 hours ago. Hence, in your Instagram DM, you will see their activity as “Active 3h ago”.

Here are a couple of important things to keep in mind:

  1. Instagram only shares this information for a profile that you have recently exchanged messages with. This means you have sent them a message and they have responded to your message. A recent two-way communication is a requirement for the activity status.
  2. You wouldn’t need to follow each other on Instagram to see the status. As long as the person you’re DM-ing did not disable any incoming direct message and is replying you, you will be able to see the status right away.
  3. If they have set their status to “Private”, sadly you will not be able to see a person’s activity status.

Let’s say if your friend was active on Instagram 12 hours ago, the activity status won’t show the number of hours or minutes. This is because it has been more than 8 hours since their last sign in on Instagram, thus, the activity status will only show “Active today”.

Difference Between “Active Today” And “Active Now” On Instagram

“Active now” is when a person has been online in the last 5 minutes. Whereas, “Active today” refers to their online activity within the 24-hour window.

The main difference between “Active Today” and “Active Now” on Instagram is the time frame they represent.

Active Today vs Active Now

“Active Today” means that the user has been active on Instagram at some point within the past 24 hours. This status is displayed next to the user’s name in the direct messages section of the app.

“Active Now” means that the user is currently active and using Instagram at the moment. This status is displayed next to the user’s name in the direct messages section and on their profile page.

In summary, “Active Today” indicates that the user has used Instagram at some point within the past 24 hours, while “Active Now” indicates that the user is currently using the app.

Does Active Now On Instagram Mean Chatting

Not necessarily, “Active Now” means that the user is on Instagram but they could be looking at their feed or stories, creating and editing a new post, chatting with other users, etc.

The “Active Now” status on Instagram alone does not specifically imply that the person is actively chatting, although it is likely that they may be.

Why Does Instagram Say Active Today Instead Of Hours

Instagram shows “Active Today” instead of showing the exact hours because it is a more general status that indicates that the user has been active on the platform within the past 24 hours.

This is likely because Instagram wants to respect the privacy of its users and not reveal too much information about their activity on the platform.

Additionally, showing the exact hours could potentially create confusion or misinterpretation, as users may not always be actively using the app during the entire time they are logged in.

Types of Activity Status on Instagram

There are four different activity statuses on Instagram.

  1. Active today: Active within the last 8 to 24 hours
  2. Active now: Active within the last 5 minutes
  3. Active X H/min ago: Active within the last 5 minutes to 8 hours
  4. Active yesterday: Active within the last 24 to 48 hours

Types Of Activity Status On Instagram

We have covered the first three, but what about the “Active yesterday” status?

For ‘Active yesterday’ status, this means the user that you have chatted with was online in the last 24 to 48 hours.

Is Instagram “Active now” Status Accurate?

No, it’s not! The “Active now” status only means that someone was online within the last 5 minutes. This status doesn’t mean the person is currently online in real time. Instagram will still shows “Active now” even if they might have left 4 minutes ago.

Final Thoughts

"Active today" on Instagram

There are four different types of active status that Instagram will show. Whenever you see the “Active today” status on your Instagram DM list, it simply means that the user was active for the past 8 to 24 hours.

In addition, in order to be able to see anyone’s active status, you must have a two-way communication with that person in your direct message, and most importantly the person did not set their status to “private”.

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Author : Alexis

I'm a US born marketer and world-wide based social media expert, extreme sports fanatic, and street wear aficionado. Influencer by day and all-time dreamer.