What Does AFK Mean?

How it's used

• In online games, players type "afk" or "brb afk" to let teammates know they're temporarily gone (grabbing a snack, answering the door, etc.).
• In chat apps, Discord, and forums, it signals you're not actively at your device.
• It can be used as a status ("I'm AFK"), a verb ("I'm going to AFK for five minutes"), or a label for someone who isn't responding ("he's AFK").

Related terms you'll often see with it

• BRB — "Be Right Back"
• BBL — "Be Back Later"
• AFK farming — in games, leaving your character running/idle to gain rewards without actively playing

Origin: The term dates back to early internet chat rooms and IRC in the 1990s, and it became especially common in multiplayer online games.

In short: if someone says they're AFK, they're temporarily away from their computer/keyboard and aren't actively watching the screen or replying.

The closest sibling pages are What Does BMW Stand For? and What Does Caught in 4K Mean?.

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