To see your Hangouts messages without others knowing, there are a few steps you can follow. Please note that these instructions are based on the current version of Gmail and Hangouts as of September 2021.
1. Open Gmail: Start by navigating to the Gmail website and logging into your account.
2. Access Hangouts: Once you are on the main Gmail screen, look to the sidebar on the left side of the page. Towards the bottom, you will see a small balloon icon with the word “Hangouts” next to it. Click on this icon to open Hangouts.
3. Open Options: In the Hangouts window, you will see a bottom bar with various icons and options. Look for the box at the top of this bar that displays your name or profile picture. Click on it to open the Options menu.
4. Customize Privacy Settings: In the Options menu, you will find a list of settings that you can adjust to customize your Hangouts experience. One of the settings is “Show when you were last active.” By default, this option is selected, indicating when you were last active on Hangouts. To prevent others from seeing your activity status, simply de-select this option by clicking on the checkbox next to it.
5. Save Changes: After you have deselected the “Show when you were last active” option, make sure to save your changes. Look for a button or link at the bottom of the Options menu that says “Save” or something similar. Click on it to save your privacy settings.
Once you have completed these steps, your Hangouts contacts will no longer be able to see when you were last active. This means that they won’t know if you have read their messages or if you are currently online.
It’s important to note that while this setting allows you to maintain your privacy, it also means that you won’t be able to see when your contacts were last active either. Additionally, keep in mind that this setting only applies to your Hangouts activity and does not affect other Google services or platforms.
I hope these instructions help you achieve the level of privacy you desire in Hangouts. If you have any further questions or need clarification, feel free to ask.