Having an “Active” status on Facebook can be useful for signaling to friends that you’re currently online and available to chat. Here are some tips on how to keep your Active status on as much as possible on Facebook:
Use the Facebook Mobile App
The easiest way to stay active on Facebook is to use the Facebook mobile app on your smartphone or tablet. As long as the app is open, it will continually ping Facebook’s servers to show you as active.
You don’t actually have to be using the app – just having it open in the background is enough. The mobile apps also make it easy to quickly check for notifications or new posts without formally logging out.
Enable Active Status in Facebook’s Desktop Site
Facebook’s desktop site has an option to continually show you as active even when you’re not interacting with the page. Here’s how to enable it:
- Click on the account menu (arrow icon) in the top right and choose “Settings”.
- Go to the “Chat” tab on the left side.
- Under the “Active Status” section, toggle “Keep me logged in” on.
This will keep you shown as active in chat and friends lists as long as you stay on the Facebook tab. However, it will log you out after a while if you switch to another tab or program.
Use Third-Party Apps to Stay Online
There are various third-party apps and browser extensions you can use to keep your Active status perpetually enabled:
- FB Purity – A browser extension that can force your Active status on. Works on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
- ChatStatistica – An Android app that uses background notifications to keep your Active light on.
- Alive for Facebook – Another Android app that pings Facebook continually while running.
The advantage of using one of these utilities is you can maintain Active even when Facebook is running in a background tab or you’re switched to a different program. Just leave the app running in the background.
Use Facebook on Multiple Devices
Having Facebook open on more than one device is another easy way to stay perpetually Active. For example you could keep the Facebook app open on your phone while also staying logged into the desktop site.
As long as one device is pinging Facebook’s servers, your status will show Active everywhere you’re logged in. This ensures you don’t go idle if you switch devices or close Facebook on one of them.
Interact with Facebook Regularly
If you don’t want to keep Facebook constantly open, another option is to interact with it regularly throughout the day. Things like:
- Checking your news feed
- Commenting on posts
- Chatting with friends
- Updating your status
- Reacting to content
Will all register as activity and keep your Active light on. Shoot for interacting with Facebook at least once every 15-30 minutes to keep your status fresh.
Change When You Show Active
If you don’t want to be Active all the time, you can also customize when your status displays as Active versus idle. Here are the options:
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Only when you’re in a conversation | You’ll only show Active when chatting with friends. |
| When you’re on Facebook | Active anytime Facebook tab/app is open. |
| Always | Active indicator always on. |
| Never | You’ll always show idle/offline. |
You can change this in the Chat settings tab as mentioned earlier. For most visibility, choose “Always” or “When you’re on Facebook”.
Use Shortcuts to Quickly Open Facebook
To make it easier to frequently check Facebook, use platform shortcuts and apps:
- Desktop browser shortcuts – Pin Facebook as a browser shortcut or bookmark for easy access.
- Smartphone shortcuts – Add a home screen shortcut icon to the Facebook app.
- Messenger – Having the Messenger app can also provide quick access to view and send messages.
This lets you open Facebook within a couple taps to maintain your Active status.
Consider Using Active Now Instead
Facebook also offers an “Active Now” status indicator you may want to consider instead. Active Now only shows for 10 minutes after you actually interact with the app.
Benefits of using Active Now include:
- More accurately conveys when you’re presently on Facebook.
- Won’t drain device battery by continually running.
- Doesn’t require extra apps or extensions.
People will still know when you’re actively using Facebook without the need for constant pings. Just something to consider as an alternative!
Troubleshooting Tips
If your Active status isn’t showing up consistently, here are some troubleshooting steps:
- Make sure you don’t have Active set to “Never” in settings.
- Check that “Keep me logged in” is enabled on desktop.
- Try force closing and relaunching the Facebook app if on mobile.
- Toggle your phone’s WiFi/cellular data off and back on to refresh the connection.
- Log fully out of Facebook then log back in to reset your status.
Also try enabling Active at different times of day – there can be occasional glitches. Patience and periodically retrying tricks like having Facebook open on multiple devices can help.
Conclusion
Having your status perpetually show Active on Facebook can be accomplished through:
- Keeping the Facebook app open on mobile
- Using the “Keep me logged in” setting on desktop
- Installing third-party utilities that ping Facebook for you
- Logging in on multiple devices
- Interacting with Facebook regularly throughout the day
Be sure to check your Active settings and troubleshoot connectivity issues if you’re having problems. Consider whether alternatives like Active Now might be right for you.
With the right technique, you can stay “on” and available for chat to all your friends. Just be mindful of overusing tricks that drain your device’s battery.