WhatsApp to Let Users Share Status With Close Friends

WhatsApp is reportedly testing a new feature that will allow users to share status updates exclusively with their close contacts.

According to WABetaInfo, the new “close friends” list can be selected directly from the privacy settings. Similar to Instagram’s Close Friends feature, these updates will be highlighted with a different colour, making it clear to viewers that the status was shared only with close friends.

Users will have full control over managing their list, as people added to or removed from close friends will not receive any notifications about the change.

The report also noted that if a user shares a status with their close friends and later updates the list, the original post will still remain visible to those who were included at the time of posting.

Like regular WhatsApp statuses, close friends’ updates will disappear after 24 hours and will continue to be protected with end-to-end encryption.

The feature is currently under development and is expected to be rolled out in a future update.