WhatsApp adds new status privacy check for who can see your updates

WhatsApp is reportedly testing a new feature to upgrade its status privacy. The feature spotted in the WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.2.9 will be located in WhatsApp status privacy, clearer and easier to use, and will allow people to check who their status update was shared with, what privacy option was used, and whether the post can be reshared.

The feature makes it easier for the users who frequently adjust their WhatsApp status privacy settings before posting. Until now, WhatsApp did not offer a direct way to confirm the audience of a status after it went live. Users often had to rely on memory or delete the update if they were unsure.

How does the WhatsApp status privacy check work?

According to WABetaInfo, the new feature can be seen in the viewer's menu of a status that is active within the 24-hour window. When users open the menu, they may see a new section called "Audience". Tapping it opens a summary page showing the exact privacy settings used for that status update.

At the top, WhatsApp labels clearly whom the status has been shared with: if it was visible to all saved contacts, it displays “My Contacts”. If there were restrictions in place, labels would include either “My Contacts Except” or “Only share with”.

WhatsApp also enumerates the specific contacts included or excluded. The report points out that many people share different updates with family, close friends, or work contacts.

The new WhatsApp beta Android feature helps users to be clearer with their confusion and reduces the need to delete and repost statuses.