Meta adds several new features to the WhatsApp status section that allows you to post disappearing images and other media. When these features roll out in the coming weeks, you’ll be able to react to people’s posts with an emoji and limit who can see your status and send voice messages.
- A new form of interaction with WhatsApp: sharing audio status
From reacting with default emojis to setting access to status
According to an announcement post, the status emoji reactions will work like they do on Instagram. When you swipe up on a post, you have the option to choose one of eight emojis. (These default options are 😍,😂,😮,😥,🙏,👏,🎉, and 💯.)
While in this WhatsApp blog post Emoji reactions are listed as the #1 feature, but the private contact selector for viewing status seems to be the most useful addition announced today. This feature allows you to change who can see your status, with the option to show it to everyone, hide it from specific contacts, or show it only to specific people. According to Meta, the options you choose are the default for the next status you post, but you can change it again without changing the visibility of past statuses.
Other features include small improvements in quality of life. Statuses that include links will also be more visually appealing – Meta says there will now be previews of the site or page your link takes you to. WhatsApp is also trying to make sending a status clearer by adding a ring around your profile picture on chat lists, group participant lists, and contact information pages.
Related posts:
- The launch of the WhatsApp Communities feature for Android users
- How to transfer WhatsApp chat history from Android to iPhone
- WhatsApp will stop supporting these old phones
- Transferring WhatsApp chats without backup will soon be possible
