WhatsApp expands status updates to unsaved contacts

The Meta-owned messaging social media application WhatsApp has introduced a new feature allowing users to receive status updates from unsaved phone numbers, making it easier to track updates from recent interactions.

According to WABetaInfo, this feature is available to some beta testers, and it is rolling out to more users over the coming days.

This feature introduces a new way for users to connect with people they have recently interacted with.

Status updates can now be visible to phone numbers involved in recent chats or calls. When users see the tilde (~) before a contact name and their phone number in the status interface, it indicates that the update is shared from a recent interaction with a phone number that is not saved in their contacts.

It is pertinent to mention here that WhatsApp has quietly rolled out this feature without officially announcing it within the app.

When users receive a status update from unknown phone numbers, WhatsApp may display an introductory screen to clarify how this happens.

Users can receive status updates from unknown contacts if they are saved in their address book. However, they must have recently messaged or called them to allow the app to deliver the status update.

Despite this update, the introductory screen explain that the privacy of your status updates has not changed.

You still have full control over who can view your status at any time. When you receive a status update from someone you have not saved in your address book, it means that they have your number in their contacts.

Additionally, status visibility depends on users’ privacy settings and recent interactions, such as messages or calls between both users.