Facebook Messenger is a different App then the Facebook App. It is a free mobile messaging app used for instant messaging sharing photos, videos, audios recordings, and for group chats. It is free to download and can be used to communicate with friends and family on Facebook and with your phone contacts.

Many new users have downloaded this App. It has become popular among youngsters. Many new as well as old users have been familiar with the feature of this App that shows their active status to other users. Most of the users have a similar question these days i.e. “Why does Facebook Messenger say I’m active when I’m not using Messenger?” This has become a common issue among users.

There are different answers to this question, why the Messenger App shows the status of the user as active when they are not using the App.

The possible reasons can be as follows:

  1. Even when you are not using the App, it could still be running data in the background that is why it has access to the internet and keep showing you online even when you are not.
  2. When you get a message or notification even when you are not using the Messenger App, it will run the data as if you were using the App itself.
  3. Facebook and Messenger are two different Apps that use the same website. These Apps are like two parts of the same body. When you are not physically using the Messenger App but you are using the Facebook App and scrolling down the Feed or performing other activities on the App, it will show you as “active some minutes ago..” when other users check your profile. Occasionally your phone and Facebook App exchange information regarding messages and other activities which makes it look like you are online.
  4. When you are not using any of the App but you might be using your phone with your WIFI turned on, then Facebook and Messenger continuously sync for new activity on your Facebook circles like sending you notifications or new messages. This could also be the reason for showing you active when you are not using the Apps.
  5. When you are using Facebook or Messenger Apps on any other device besides your phone then it will still show your status as active.
  6. When you haven’t logged out of Facebook or Messenger on other devices like desktop or mobile phones where you have used those Apps but u have logged out in your mobile phones then Facebook Messenger will still say that you are active.

These are some reasons for Facebook Messenger App to show you active even when you are not using the Messenger App.

Third-Party Tool or Apps

There are many third-party app and tools developed for executing these kinds of actions. You just need to install these apps in your device, any device you want to use it on. This app is designed so that it helps you do this job. You need to fill up the required information and follow the instructions given. The link to the app is given here:

Conclusion
Because of the connection of two different Apps and due to the working of these Apps in your device or other devices or other places; or using one of the Apps among Facebook or Messenger. Facebook Messenger shows you active even when you are not using the App. If the users want to turn their status into inactive or they don’t want other users to see them active or online they can simply learn about the Facebook App feature which allows them to do so. They can go to settings on any of the App and search for the “Active status” option and simply turn it off. If you have turned it off in just one of the Apps then it will show you active if you use the other App where you haven’t turned it off, so it is better to turn it off in both the Apps.

If this still doesn’t work then you can turn off the Internet connection and log out of every device where you have ever logged in. Or protect it by a password.