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WhatsApp to roll out Instagram-style ‘Close Friends’ feature for Status updates
At present, WhatsApp provides three privacy settings for Status updates. The first, My Contacts, shares posts with everyone in a user’s address book.
As with Instagram, WhatsApp’s Close Friends list will remain discreet.
WhatsApp is preparing a major update to its Status feature, borrowing a concept that will be instantly familiar to Instagram users. The messaging platform, owned by Meta, is reportedly developing a ‘Close Friends’ option for Status updates — a move that could make sharing content on the app more personal and private than ever before.
For users less familiar with the feature, WhatsApp Status operates much like Instagram Stories. It allows people to post photos, videos or text updates that automatically vanish after 24 hours. While Status may not enjoy the same level of popularity in the United States, it has become a global success story. According to Meta, more than 1.5 billion people worldwide use WhatsApp Status every day.
At present, WhatsApp provides three privacy settings for Status updates. The first, My Contacts, shares posts with everyone in a user’s address book. The second, My Contacts Except…, allows users to exclude specific individuals. The third, Only Share With…, enables the selection of a smaller group of people.
Although the Only Share With… setting already functions as an informal version of ‘Close Friends’, the new feature is expected to be far more seamless. As reported by WABetaInfo, which identified the change in WhatsApp’s TestFlight beta release, the platform will soon allow users to create a dedicated Close Friends list directly from the privacy settings.
Once a list has been set up, users will be able to decide each time they post a Status update whether to share it with their full contact list or restrict it to their chosen inner circle. In a nod to Instagram’s design, Close Friends updates will also be visually distinct. A special-coloured ring will highlight these posts, signalling to recipients that they are viewing something more personal.
Equally significant is the privacy aspect. As with Instagram, WhatsApp’s Close Friends list will remain discreet. No notifications will be sent when someone is added to or removed from the list.
The addition is expected to make WhatsApp Status more attractive to those who prefer to share updates casually without broadcasting to their entire contact network. It also reflects Meta’s broader strategy of aligning features across its family of apps, ensuring that users enjoy similar tools whether they are using WhatsApp or Instagram.
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