How to Appear Offline or Invisible on Steam (Without Saying Offline)

Key Takeaways 

• You may turn on Invisible and go offline from the Friends & Chat section, the Navigation, or the Menu Bar.
• The steps are similar on Windows and Mac, but you should click the Chat menu on a web browser to turn off Invisible.

How to Go Invisible or Offline on the Steam Desktop App

Appearing offline or invisible on the Steam desktop app is quick and easy. Most likely, you’ll be hidden before anyone notices you are online. Below are two ways to do so:

Note: Enabling offline mode on Steam across any device will sync the setting across all your connected Steam devices.

Method 1: From Friends & Chat Section

You can hide your presence on Steam using the Friends & Chat section. The cool thing is that you can do this on both the Windows and Mac apps. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Launch Steam.

Step 2: In the bottom right corner of the screen, click Friends & Chat.

Step 3: In the Friends & Chat window, click the arrow next to your name and choose Offline or Invisible.

Method 2: From the Navigation or Menu Bar

Another quick way to appear invisible or offline on Steam is from the Windows navigation bar or Mac menu bar.

Step 1: Launch Steam.

Step 2: Click Friends in the Navigation bar and select Offline or Invisible.

Also Read: How to download and use Steam on Windows.

How to Appear Invisible on the Steam Web App

If you enjoy using the Steam web app, follow the steps below to go invisible on Steam. We’ll be using the Chrome browser for demonstration purposes.

Note: You don’t get an option to go offline in the Steam web app.

Step 1: Launch any web browser and head to the Steam website.

Step 2: Head to the Chat page.

Step 3: In the left pane, click the drop-down icon next to your name and choose Invisible.

How to Go Invisible on Steam Mobile App

Mobile gaming is in high demand these days, and if you’re one such user who likes to use the Steam app on your mobile device, follow the steps below to start Steam in invisible mode. 

Note: The ability to go offline is missing in the mobile app.

Step 1: Open the Steam Chat app on your mobile device and tap the hamburger menu (three-line icon).

Step 2: Select Invisible from the options and tap OK in the pop-up menu.

You’ve successfully hidden your online status. You can double-check by looking for a gray dot beside Invisible below your name. Also, the hamburger menu has a gray dot when you set your status to invisible.

Also Read: How to play Steam games on Android and iOS.

FAQs

1. Will my friends be notified when I go offline or invisible?

No, your friends won’t receive notifications when you set your status to Offline or Invisible. Hence, you can enjoy your game without any disturbance.

2. Does appearing offline hide my gameplay activity?

Yes, when you appear offline, your friends won’t see your gameplay activity, such as the game you are playing or the achievements you unlock.

3. Can I still receive messages while appearing offline?

No, you can’t receive messages while you’re offline. However, if you’ve set Steam Invisible mode, your friends can send you messages, and you can respond to them while hiding your online status.

4. Can I schedule my online status to change automatically?

Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, Steam doesn’t offer a built-in feature to schedule automatic changes to your online status.