WhatsApp to Roll Out Close Friends Feature for Status Updates

WhatsApp is getting ready to roll out a significant update to its Status feature. Though the feature is used sparingly in the United States, Status has become integral for millions of users as it lets them post photos, videos, and messages that vanish after 24 hours.

To imitate the current features of Instagram, the messaging platform will launch the Close Friends option.

WhatsApp Status and How It Works

WhatsApp to Roll Out Close Friends Feature for Status Updates

If you've used Instagram Stories, WhatsApp Status will feel familiar. Users can share updates that vanish after a day, creating a more casual and temporary way to connect. Until now, WhatsApp has offered three privacy settings, according to 9to5Mac.

You can choose My Contacts if you want to allow your full contact list to see your life updates. If you want a little privacy and want specific people to avoid seeing your posts, you can use My Contacts Except. For WhatsApp users who love sharing everything within their small circle, Only Share With is the best option.

While the "Only Share With" feature has previously been employed as a loophole for a confidential list, this new Close Friends feature will render the process easier and more user-friendly.

How the Close Friends Feature Will Work

According to WABetaInfo, the Close Friends feature was seen in WhatsApp's newest TestFlight release. People will be able to set up a special Close Friends list from within privacy settings soon. When sharing a Status, they'll be able to decide if they want to post to everyone or keep updates limited to the inner circle.

Similar to Instagram, WhatsApp will also visually call out these updates. Close Friends shared status will appear with a ring around them of a specific color, signaling that the post was meant to be shared with a smaller, more intimate group. Most importantly, the Close Friends list will be kept private. Contacts won't be able to tell if they have been added or removed.

The new feature could only mean one thing: people are more often craving private and selective sharing, not broadcasting to all their contacts. WhatsApp is making Status updates more interesting to users who care about both connection and control through this feature.

Last week, Tech Times reported that WhatsApp is getting a voicemail-like feature for those who want to leave a missed call for their friends.

There's also an AI-powered writing feature called Help to assist users in composing messages. Here, you can edit your message and apply your desired voice in any style you like, be it humorous, corporate, or informal.