This is a list of 5 ways you can block the ‘seen’ notification your friends get on Facebook chat when you open their sent messages. This can be a really embarrassing moment if you lie to them about your phone dying so you can ignore them online. Fret not, for these 5 browser extensions will save your day by hiding the ‘seen’ status in your conversation. This list includes 4 Google Chrome extensions and one Firefox Extension. These solutions also block out the typing animation the person on the other side might see in the Facebook Chat conversation when you’re typing.
You can also check out News Feed Eradicator that can remove the News feed on your Facebook page if you’re using Facebook just to keep contacts.
So let’s check out what we have in this list!
Facebook Unseen
This Google Chrome Extension comes with two more settings that change the chat interface. After installation, Facebook Unseen can be set on or off simply by clicking the extension button. The extension will be grayed out when it’s not working. When the extension is on, it hides the ‘typing’ and ‘seen’ marks from the messages without any hiccups. Both of these functions are further customizable from the extension’s settings where they can be selectively chosen. Disabling the ‘Mark as Read’ button completely removes the chances of you accidentally clicking it and letting the other person know that you’ve read the message. Keeping the ‘Mark as Read’ button on the main message page of Facebook will enable you to select people who you want to read the ‘seen’ status. Quite customizable right?
Unseen
Unseen is a free Google Chrome Extension to cover up the ‘Seen’ Status that your friend will get when you open their newly sent Facebook messages. This Chrome extension works on the main Facebook site as well as Facebook chat’s standalone web app: Messenger.com. It successfully hides the ‘read’ status, which extends to Facebook’s Messenger app on Android. However, I’d be careful not to accidentally hit the keyboard since it does not cover the ‘typing’ status by default. Right click on Unseen extension and check ‘Block Typing Indicator..’ to hide the typing status.
FB Chat Privacy
FB Chat Privacy is an alternative Chrome extension to Unseen. It packs only two options which can be ticked on or off. One hides the ‘typing’ status and the other hides the ‘seen’ status. The small button for this extension appears in the address bar only when Facebook is browsed. Right clicking the button shows the options to enable/disable the above two choices. FB Chat Privacy is a very simple Chrome extension which gets the basic job done. Make sure you check it out if you want to hide yourself from your friends on Facebook.
Facebook Chat Seen Blocker
Here is a minimalistic extension for Firefox users that can block the ‘typing’ and ‘seen’ notifications from appearing on your friends’ Facebook chat during your chat. There are no customizable options. You can only switch this extension on and off. Facebook Chat Seen Blocker works instantly, as confirmed by the tests on Android’s Messenger app, Facebook chat and Messenger’s web app.
Adblock Plus
I am sure you must be a little surprised to see this one in the list. Adblock Plus is an ad-blocking extension that can be found in most of the browsers. But this extension blocks only advertisements… doesn’t it? Well, contrary to Adblock Plus’ USP, you can use Adblock Plus in many more ways than you can imagine. Adblock Plus has the option of adding custom filters, which enable blocking scripts and URL from different applications and not just advertisements. Facebook chat’s ‘seen’ and ‘typing’ statuses have different URLs that generate them. Adblock Plus can block these URLs which in turn blocks both statuses from appearing. The URLs are:
https://www.facebook.com/ajax/mercury/change_read_status.php$xmlhttprequest
https://www.facebook.com/ajax/messaging/typ.php
The first one blocks the ‘seen’ mark and the second one blocks the ‘typing’ mark. You’ll have to enter them one by one in the filter. This is one of the most efficient ways to block the Facebook chat notification since you don’t have to download a separate chrome extension. The only drawback here is that it doesn’t work with the Messenger web app. Go try it out!
Final Words
All the extensions mentioned here fall on the same line but a few are a step ahead or a step below from one another. Facebook Unseen can be considered the winner in this list as it also lets you turn off ‘Mark as Read’ button on the Facebook message page. Adblock Plus is widely used and you don’t have to download an extension to exclusively block out the ‘seen’ status of your messages. I don’t think I’ll pick a ‘least favorite’ since all the above extensions work without any kind of shortcoming. Make sure you try out all of them to find the one that suits you.
Know a Similar software or browser extension? Make sure to share it in the comments!
