Our activity status on Messenger tells other users when we are active. When we are active, a green dot is displayed next to our profile picture. Conversely, when we are not currently using the app, friends see a timer next to our profile indicating when we were last active.
Many users find it puzzling, then, why the green dot is displayed next to some profiles all the time. After all, nobody uses the app constantly.
In this article, you will find the most likely reasons why the activity status on Messenger for some users shows continuous activity.
When does Messenger show activity?
Messenger shows activity in two cases:
- when we are actively using Messenger,
- when we have the Messenger app open on a mobile device (phone or tablet).
Does Messenger show active when on Facebook?
It is important to know that Facebook and Messenger are two different apps, even though they belong to the same company (Meta) and we log into them with the same data. When we are only available on Facebook and not on Messenger, for example, the activity status on Messenger should indicate unavailability.
Likewise, if we turn off the activity status on Facebook for privacy reasons, but do not do so on Messenger, information about our activity or recent activity on Messenger will still be displayed.
Why is someone active on Messenger all the time?
Below, I have included a list of the most likely reasons why the activity status of some Messenger users indicates their constant activity:
1. the Messenger app is running in the background
The most common and likely reason why someone is constantly active on Messenger is because the apps on their phone are running in the background. This means that although he or she is not using Messenger at any given time, the app is still collecting data about him or her. This phenomenon can be likened to the operation of tabs in a web browser. If we are browsing one page at a given time, but have multiple tabs open in the browser, other pages are also collecting information about us via cookies.
2. Messenger is open on another device
If someone is logged into Messenger on an additional device that they are not currently using, other users will also see a green dot next to their profile, indicating their activity. Cause 2 is therefore directly related to cause 1, i.e. the Messenger app running in the background, but with the difference that the app is running on another device.
3. the user’s account has been taken over
Another reason for someone being active on Messenger all the time could be that the account has been taken over by another person. This scenario is less likely but possible. I therefore list account takeover by another person as one potential cause.
Unfortunately, users often underestimate security issues and log into their account using public computers or open Wi-Fi networks. Furthermore, many users do not use two-factor authentication and use weak passwords. If you suspect that your friend’s account may have been taken over, contact them (just not via Messenger) and let them know.
4. there is a delay in displaying the current status
Status change information on Messenger shows up with some delay, so it should only be considered as an estimate. It is not possible to determine exactly how long Messenger shows users’ activity after they have logged out, as this depends on several different factors, such as the speed of the internet connection, the model of the device, and the responsiveness of the app server, among others.
However, it can be assumed that this delay can last up to around 5 minutes. So if you have messaged someone on Messenger and you see that the person is active but has not read the message, do not immediately assume that they are ignoring you. Perhaps the friend left Messenger just moments ago and the algorithm didn’t have time to register this.
5. there are app errors
The last in the list of possible reasons for a friend displaying as active all the time on Messenger are occasional bugs in the app. Occasionally, the app stutters and does not update the statuses of some or all users in real-time. Current app glitches can be monitored on the Downdetector website.
In summary, Messenger shows a user’s activity in two cases – when they are actively using Messenger or when they have the app open on their mobile device.
The fact that someone shows up on Messenger as active all the time does not mean that they are using the app non-stop. The reasons why we don’t see a person’s status change can vary. The most likely of these are the ones I mentioned above, namely Messenger running in the background, not logging out from another device, status display delays, or spontaneous app errors.
