Sometimes after a long hard day, you just want to game in peace with no interruptions, even from your closest friends. And that’s okay. Everyone deserves a little alone time every once in a while. But you don’t want to seem rude and just flat-out ignore your friends as you see their chat box pop up on Steam.

Thankfully, there is a way that you can make yourself appear offline on Steam, even when you’re online. That way, you can experience all the joys of being online without having to worry about anyone trying to bother you during your alone time.

Why Would I Want to Appear Offline on Steam?

There is a way that you can play games fully offline on Steam. But the problem is that when you actually go offline on Steam, you are unable to play any games that require an internet connection.

That means no Among Us, no Apex Legends, and no Valorant. If online titles are your favorite games to play, then simply using Steam offline isn’t going to work for you. That is where appearing offline comes in handy.

Steam also has a feature that lets your friends know what you're playing and vice versa. Appearing offline allows you to play games without them being advertised to all your friends and family. So, if you're ever indulging in your guilty-pleasure game and don't want others to know, appearing offline will take that stress off your shoulders.

Appearing offline means you can still play anything you want without any of your Steam friends being able to tell you’re online, so you're able to fully enjoy Steam, incognito style.

How Do I Appear Offline on Steam Even When I’m Online?

Appearing offline on Steam is incredibly fast and simple, and you will probably have it done by the time anyone even realizes you were online in the first place. Here’s how:

1. Open Steam.
2. Select the Friends tab from the menu at the top of the screen.

   

3. A drop-down menu will open up showing all the different status options you can choose from.
4. Press Invisible.

   

There is also one other way to appear invisible on Steam. To use the second method, follow the instructions below:

1. Select Friends & Chat in the bottom right corner of Steam.

   

2. Press the arrow beside your username to open the drop-down menu.

   

3. Select Invisible.

To change your status back to online, follow either of the methods outlined above and select Online.

Once you select invisible, you will appear offline to everyone else. If you do decide you want to chat with a special someone while you’re invisible on Steam, you are still more than welcome to do so in invisible mode.

To chat while in invisible mode, open up the Friends & Chat menu in the bottom right. Search Steam to find the specific user you would like to speak to, press the arrow next to their name, and select Send Message.

Enjoy Your Games in Peace With Invisible Mode on Steam

Choosing to appear offline by turning on invisible mode is the best way to get some privacy while on Steam without seeming rude to anyone who may try to contact you. You are still able to play games online, and you are still able to chat with people if you want to as well.

And the best part about Steam's invisible mode is that if you ever start to feel lonely, you can let everyone know you’re there with just the click of a few buttons.