WhatsApp to show 'recently online' information on contact list page: Report

Being tested in beta version for Android and iOS, WhatsApp's recently online feature shows a limited view of your contacts' recent activity on the platform

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WhatsApp has reportedly started testing a new feature in beta release for iOS devices that would allow users to see contacts that have been online recently right on top of their contacts list. WhatsApp update tracking website WABetaInfo has reported that the instant messaging platform from Meta has released an update, WhatsApp beta for iOS 24.9.10.71, on the iPhone TestFlight app that enables the feature. According to the report, the feature was previously spotted on WhatsApp for Android beta update 2.24.9.14, which is currently under testing too.

WhatsApp’s ‘Recently Online’ feature: What it is

As part of the contact list on WhatsApp, the "recently online" feature provides an alternative list of contacts that have been found online recently. Essentially, it shows a limited view of your contacts’ recent activity on WhatsApp. Therefore, you will soon see a list of contacts first based on which contacts have been active on the platform recently, followed by a full contacts list.

In the public version currently available for all on iOS and Android, users have the option to choose in the “Privacy Settings” who can see their “last seen” and who can see when they are online. This indicator appears beneath the contact name when you open their chat. However, on disabling their own last seen, users cannot see when other people were last seen or online. Users can choose to show their last seen or when they are online to either “Everyone”, “My contacts”, “Nobody”, or “My contacts except”.

According to the WABetaInfo report, these settings will integrate with "recently online", and contacts that have disabled last seen will not be included in the "recently online" list.