Knowing how to change WhatsApp status privacy is essential to be able to control who can and cannot see your temporary posts in the messenger. The status tool makes it possible to publish content that disappears in 24 hours, similar to Instagram, Facebook and Messenger stories.
On WhatsApp, the user has 4 sharing options: with all contacts; with all but blocked; only with selected friends; or even, not show it to anyone.
By default, your status updates are shared with all your contacts. In that case, if you want to hide what you post from some contacts, check below how to configure the feature in the app.
What is WhatsApp status?
WhatsApp Status is a feature that allows you to post status updates that disappear after 24 hours of upload. In the status, you can share photos, videos, text, links and GIFs.
If you know how to use Instagram Stories, you’ll feel right at home. You will quickly learn how to check a friend’s WhatsApp status and update your own.
By default, WhatsApp Status is only enabled between two users who have each other’s contact details saved in their respective address books. If you don’t have someone’s number saved in your contacts, they won’t be able to see your Status message.
How to change WhatsApp status privacy?
Below, check out the step by step on how to change WhatsApp status privacy.
On Android:
- Open your WhatsApp;
- Then tap on the column Status;
- Soon after, click on the 3 dots in the upper corner, and access Status Privacy;
- After that, select one of the options:
- My contactsto show your status updates to all your contacts.
- My contacts except…to show your status updates to all your contacts except selected people.
- Share only with…to display your status updates only to the contacts you select.
On iOS:
- Open your WhatsApp;
- Then tap on the column Status;
- At the top, tap Privacy;
- After that, select one of the options:
- My contacts: to show your status updates to all your contacts;
- My contacts except…: to show your status updates to all but selected people of your contacts;
- Share only with…: to display your status updates only to the contacts you select.
WARNING:
- Changes made to your privacy settings will not affect status updates you’ve already shared;
- If you choose to disable read receipts, it will not be possible to know who has viewed your status updates;
- And if a contact turns off read receipts, you also won’t be able to tell if that person has seen your status updates.
How do I mute or unmute a contact’s status updates?
You can mute status updates for a specific contact. This way, they will no longer appear at the top of your status list.
To mute a contact’s status updates:
on android
- Open WhatsApp;
- Then tap status;
- Shortly after, tap and hold your contact’s status update;
- Once that’s done, tap mute.
If you wish, you can turn status updates back on for a contact. For that,
- Open WhatsApp;
- Then tap status;
- After that, slide the screen down to the section Muted updates;
- Once that’s done, tap and hold your contact’s status update;
- Finally, tap Reactivate.
On iOS:
- Open WhatsApp;
- Then tap status;
- Right after that, swipe left to update your contact’s status;
- Once that’s done, tap mute > mute.
To reactivate muted contact updates, you need to:
- Open WhatsApp;
- Then tap status;
- After that, slide the screen down to the section Muted updates;
- Once that’s done, swipe your contact’s status update to the left;
- Finally, tap Reactivate > Reactivate.
