WhatsApp Status to soon get an Instagram-like Close Friend feature: how it works

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WhatsApp is preparing to give its Status feature a big update, and it looks very familiar to Instagram users. The messaging app, which is owned by Meta, is reportedly working on adding a Close Friends feature to Status updates, a move that could make sharing more personal and private than ever before.

For those who don’t use it often, WhatsApp Status works a lot like Instagram Stories. Users can post photos, videos, or text updates that disappear after 24 hours. It may not be as popular in the U.S., but globally, WhatsApp Status is a massive hit. Meta says it is used by 1.5 billion people every day around the world.

Currently, WhatsApp already offers three privacy settings for Status:

My Contacts, which shares updates with everyone in your contact list.
My Contacts Except…, which lets you exclude specific people.
Only Share With…, which allows you to select a smaller group.
While the “Only Share With…” option already works as a kind of workaround for Close Friends, the new feature will make it much simpler and more streamlined.

According to WABetaInfo, which spotted the change in WhatsApp’s TestFlight beta release, users will soon be able to create a dedicated Close Friends list directly from the privacy settings. Once set up, every time you post a Status update, you’ll be able to decide whether to share it with your entire contacts list or limit it to your chosen inner circle.

Like Instagram, Close Friends updates will also look different. A special-colored ring will highlight them, so the people on your list know they’re seeing something more personal. And importantly, just like on Instagram, the list is private — no one will be notified when they’re added or removed.

The addition could make WhatsApp Status more appealing for people who want to share casually without broadcasting updates to their entire network. It also shows how Meta is unifying features across its apps, giving users similar tools whether they’re on WhatsApp or Instagram.