Home | Explore Windows |
Get to know Windows | Photos & videos | TV & movies | Music | Games | Email & chat | Productivity | PC health | Home networking | Work from anywhere |
Products |
Windows 7 | Windows Vista | Windows XP |
Windows 8 Consumer Preview |
Internet Explorer | Hotmail | SkyDrive | Messenger |
Windows Media Center | Windows Media Player | Windows Home Server |
Genuine Windows | Microsoft Security Essentials |
Shop |
Shop home | Windows 7 | Windows 7 PCs | Before you buy | Special offers |
Downloads |
Downloads home | Windows 7 | Windows Vista | Windows XP |
Windows 8 Consumer Preview |
Internet Explorer | SkyDrive | Messenger | Windows Live Essentials | Microsoft Security Essentials |
Personalization Gallery home | Windows 7 themes | Desktop backgrounds | Gadgets |
Languages |
Service Pack Center |
Help & How-to |
Windows 7 | Windows Vista | Windows XP |
Internet Explorer | Hotmail | SkyDrive | Messenger | Windows Live Essentials | Windows Live ID |
Windows Media Center | Windows Media Player | Windows Home Server | Microsoft Security Essentials | Windows Community | Windows Accessibility |
Messenger home | Download | Get started | Features | Blog | Help |

How do I appear offline to some people and not others?

You can choose to appear offline to some people, groups, or categories, while continuing to show your online status to everyone else.

To appear offline to a person, group, or category

  1. Open Windows Live Messenger by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button. In the search box, type Messenger, and then, in the list of results, click Windows Live Messenger.

  2. Sign in with your Windows Live ID.

  3. Right-click the name of a person, group, or category, and then click Appear offline to this person, Appear offline to this group, or Appear offline to this category.

Note

Note

If you want to send an instant message to the people you're appearing offline to, you'll need to show your online status to them again.


Other resources

Need more help?
Ask your question in the Messenger forums

Have ideas for Messenger?
Give us feedback

Can't get to Messenger?
Check service status

Was this helpful?
Thank you.
Do you want to add anything else?
Thank you. Your feedback helps us to continually improve our content.
1200 400 How can we make this more helpful for you? Submit Skip this Do you want to add anything else? Submit No thanks