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Can Someone See If I’m Online On Tinder? Tinder Green Dot And Recently Active Explained

Can Someone See If I’m Online On Tinder? Tinder Green Dot And Recently Active Explained

From blue ticks to getting left on read, it often feels like online privacy is a thing of the past.

But we’re not always looking for a conversation. Sometimes I just want to scroll in peace!

And if Instagram announces to everyone that I’m “currently active” at all times, how am I going to keep my reel addiction under wraps?

It’s the same story on Tinder. Maybe you need time to compose the perfect reply to a match, or you want to swipe without the pressure of being visible.

Can Someone See If I'm Online On Tinder - tinder logo

And so you’re wondering: can someone see if I’m online on Tinder? Well, the answer is no, not exactly. Tinder removed their “Last Active” feature back in 2017, and in doing so prevented users from seeing if a match was currently online.

But that’s not quite all there is to it – Tinder has introduced “Recently Active” which reveals if you’ve been online in the last 24 hours. It’s not quite up-to-the-minute info for your matches, but it does let people know you’ve been Tindering away on the last day.

Tinder’s full of colorful features, from yellow hearts to green dots. It feels like Tinder updates every week so keeping up with how Tinder works takes work!

So for the deepest of deep dives – I’m talking the Mariana Trench of Tinder – check out my free Tinder Hacked ebook.

But to dip your toes into the paddling pool of Tinder’s Recently Active, read on and get your feet wet.

What Is Tinder Recently Active?

Getting results on dating apps takes work – you can’t keep recycling the same old cliched pick-up lines your Dad taught you. But when you suspect a match hasn’t been online in weeks, it might feel like you’re talking to yourself.

And hey, there’s no harm in throwing some compliments your own way! But I prefer to do it while looking into the mirror, not in the Tinder chat. Hey handsome…

So what is Tinder Recently Active? It’s Tinder’s way of telling you that someone is a regular user and it indicates that they’ve been online in the last 24 hours. Recently Active is symbolized by a green dot on their profile.

And although some philosophers have a problem with the proof by induction, I say that if the sun rose yesterday, it’s gonna rise today. And if your Tinder match was online in the last 24 hours, they’ll probably be online tomorrow.

So Tinder Recently Active reassures you that you’re not just talking to yourself.

What Is The Green Dot On Tinder?

We’re all sitting on this pale blue dot, spinning around the sun, looking for love. When you think about that, things can pale into insignificance. But on the other hand, when it comes to Tinder, there’s a green dot that can take on great significance!

Yes, I’m talking about when you’re waiting for a reply to your carefully crafted opener. Has it been seen? Read? Appreciated for the work of art that it is?

So what is the green dot on Tinder? It’s the sign that a user has been online in the past 24 hours – what Tinder calls “recently active”. Tinder won’t tell you if a user has seen or read a message, so the green dot is all you have to go on.

Can Someone See If I'm Online On Tinder - green dot tinder profile

You’ll see that green dot on profile photos in the “Likes You” grid whether you’re using Tinder’s free version as well as on Tinder Gold or Premium. But with free Tinder, those profile pictures will be blurred, so you won’t learn much.

I’ve broken down all of Tinder’s premium features here so you can get your money’s worth.

Recently Active is on for all users by default. But if you fancy operating under the radar, Tinder lets you turn it off. Here’s how to fly low on Tinder by turning off Recently Active:

Can Someone See If I'm Online On Tinder - show activity status
  1. Open the Tinder app on your phone. That’s always ‘step one’.
  1. Select your profile, and then enter the settings tab. That’s the little gear symbol on the left.
  1. Scroll down until you see Recently Active Status, and tap through.
  1. Toggle “Show Activity Status” to OFF.

Turning off Recently Active is handy if you value your privacy, or if there’s someone you want to avoid. But remember, users won’t know you’ve switched it off and might think you’re an inactive user. Could that hurt your chances with a match?

Can Someone See If I'm Online On Tinder - guy on phone

How To Know The Last Time Someone Was Active On Tinder

I’m just going to put this out there – you don’t want to be tracking every move of your Tinder matches. To stay sane in the Tinder game, you have to give yourself, and your matches, some breathing room.

But you still might be wondering: how to know the last time someone was active on Tinder? Tinder’s Recently Active shows you, by way of the green dot, if someone was online in the last 24 hours. Other than that, there’s not much to go on unless you can see some activity from them.

Of course, if someone’s sent you a message then you’ll know for sure they were online when it was sent. Other than that, the green dot gives you a 24-hour window for your guesswork.

Can Someone See If I'm Online On Tinder - green dot tinder

Do Only Active Users Show Up On Tinder?

When Pink Floyd asked “Is there anybody out there?” they probably weren’t talking about online dating. But these guys were ahead of their time, so who knows?

No doubt you’ve found yourself asking yourself the same question on Tinder, and you’re wondering if the guys and gals you’re swiping through are actually still on Tinder.

So do only active users show up on Tinder? No worries there – you’ll only be shown potential matches who are active on Tinder, and while we don’t have a definition for “active”, it’s usually someone who has been online in the past 7 days.

Can Someone See If I'm Online On Tinder - recently active match

And Tinder has even confirmed that your matches are currently active users so you’ll never be left wondering what could have been.

Of course, a week is a long time in the fast-paced dating world. If you’re a premium user, you can narrow the field further through the “control who you see filter” – add “Recently Active” and all your potential matches will be green-dotters who are Tindering daily.

And it works the other way too – because users can turn off “Show Me On Discover”, there might be active profiles out there that you can’t see. That means that only Active Users show up on Tinder, but not all Active Users show up on Tinder.

Can Someone See If I'm Online On Tinder - show me on discovery

Going invisible on Tinder is great if you need a break from all those clamoring matches you’re getting (right?) – and here’s how to do it:

  1. Fire up the Tinder app on your phone.
  1. Open up “Settings” by clicking on the gear symbol in the top left of your screen.
  1. Scroll down to “Show Me On Discover”
  1. Turn it off!
Can Someone See If I'm Online On Tinder - enable discover

Final Thoughts

Tinder is walking the tightrope between respecting users’ privacy and also offering you enough information about your matches’ behavior to keep you from asking if anyone’s there at all.

So they’ve ditched to-the-minute information about online users, and instead, you get a green dot for a recently active user.

It’s a handy tool for honing in on active users – but it’s not worth obsessing over. Tinder takes a degree of patience, so don’t get hung up on a green dot. And if your openers aren’t getting the response you hoped for, check out some tried and tested winners.

And if you’re serious about disappearing on Tinder altogether, maybe it’s time to try another app. Check out my dating app quiz to see which app will show up for you.

What Is The Best Dating App For YOU?

Don't Waste Time On Any Old Dating App - FREE Quiz Will Show Exactly Which Dating App Is Best For YOU!

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