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WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature that will allow users to share status updates with their close friends. According to the platform update tracking website WABetaInfo, the instant messaging platform is testing a way for users to select a more personal audience for their status updates and control who can view them. The change was spotted in the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 25.23.10.80.
Like Instagram’s close friends option, these updates will appear in a different colour, clearly highlighting that the status is meant only for close friends.
WhatsApp’s Close friends feature: How it works
According to the report, WhatsApp is working on a dedicated “close friends” list within the privacy settings. Once configured, users will be able to decide at the time of posting whether they want to share their status with their default audience or only with their selected group. This list is said to be completely private, and people added or removed from it will not receive any notifications.
If a status is shared with close friends and the list is later modified, the original post will still be visible only to those included at the time of sharing. To extend visibility to newly added contacts, users would need to delete the original post and re-upload it with the updated close friends list. The report mentioned, “The added layer of exclusivity also makes close friends' updates feel more intimate, allowing people to be more authentic in what they share.”
As per the report, the status shared with close friends will follow the same rules as other updates: they disappear after 24 hours and are protected with end-to-end encryption. This ensures that only chosen recipients can view the content, while neither Meta nor WhatsApp has access.
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