How to Prevent Gmail From Revealing Your Online Status

Turn off your chat status in Gmail

By
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
  • University of Vienna
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Updated on November 19, 2021
Reviewed by
Michael Barton Heine Jr
Michael Heine headshot
Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr
Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries.
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What to Know

  • Open Gmail in a browser and select the Gear icon in the upper-right corner.
  • Select See all settings in the menu. Choose the Chat and Meet tab on the screen that opens.
  • In the Chat section, select the radio button next to Off to hide your online status. Choose Save Changes.

This article explains how to prevent Gmail from revealing your online status by turning off the visibility setting for chat. It includes information on how to mute notifications in Gmail for a specified amount of time.

Prevent Gmail From Automatically Revealing Your Online Status

Your friend or colleague can see when you're online throughout the Google network—via Gmail, for example—and available for chat. If you want to decide for yourself when your contacts can tell whether you are online, Gmail provides this option.

Here's how to protect your online status from showing up in Gmail and turn off the chat feature for all your contacts.

  1. Click the Gear (Settings) icon in the upper-right corner from any screen in Gmail.

    The Settings gear in Gmail

  2. Click See all settings in the menu that appears.

    The "See All Settings" button in Gmail

  3. Select the Chat and Meet tab.

    Gmail settings with the Chat and Meet tab highlighted

  4. Click the radio button next to Off to hide your online status and chat availability.

    Gmail settings with the Hangouts off button highlighted

  5. Click Save Changes. When Gmail reloads, the chat window is no longer be visible.

How to Mute Notifications in Gmail

Here's what to do if you only want to mute the notifications of chat for a set amount of time.

If you mute notifications, people will still be able to see that you're online, but you won't receive alerts if they message you.

  1. Click the arrow next to your name in the chat panel.

    A Gmail inbox with the Hangouts menu option highlighted

  2. In the next menu, click the Mute Notifications for... drop-down menu.

    Gmail Hangouts settings with the Mute Notifications For menu highlighted

  3. Click the amount of time you'd like to mute notifications. You can silence them for 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, or 24 hours, three days, or a week. Click Resume under your name to unmute the notifications before the block expires.

Controlling Invites in Hangouts

Invisible Mode may not exist anymore, but you have some control over who contacts you. Go back into the menu under the arrow next to your name, and then select Customize Invite Settings. The next screen contains controls that allow specified groups of people to contact you directly or send you an invitation.

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