How can you know if someone is online on WhatsApp when they are offline?

In WhatsApp, determining if someone is online when they appear offline can be tricky because the app intentionally does not provide real-time online status updates for privacy reasons. However, there are a few indirect methods people sometimes use to infer if someone is online or active:

### 1. **Last Seen Timestamp**:
- The "Last Seen" timestamp in WhatsApp shows when a user was last active or online. You can view this timestamp if the person hasn't disabled this feature in their privacy settings.
- However, this timestamp only updates when the person opens WhatsApp. They might still be using WhatsApp even if the timestamp is not recent, as it updates based on their last activity.

### 2. **Typing Indicator**:
- When someone is actively typing a message to you in a chat, WhatsApp shows a typing indicator (three dots) next to their name.
- This indicates that the person is currently using WhatsApp and composing a message.

### 3. **Read Receipts (Blue Ticks)**:
- If the person has read receipts enabled (blue ticks), you can see when they have read your messages.
- This doesn't confirm they are currently online but indicates that they have opened WhatsApp and seen your message.

### 4. **Online Status in Group Chats**:
- In group chats, if someone is online and actively viewing the chat, you may see a green dot next to their profile picture.
- This dot appears when the person is actively using WhatsApp at that moment.

### Important Considerations:
- **Privacy Settings**: Many users disable the "Last Seen" timestamp and read receipts for privacy reasons. If these features are disabled, you won't be able to see their online status or when they were last active.
- **Third-Party Apps**: There are third-party apps or services that claim to track WhatsApp activity or online status. However, using such apps may violate WhatsApp's terms of service and compromise privacy.

WhatsApp values user privacy, so direct methods to track someone's online status when they appear offline are intentionally limited. It's important to respect others' privacy settings and refrain from using unofficial methods that could compromise their privacy or violate terms of service.