WhatsApp adds new status features

Meta is adding new features to status on WhatsApp — like private audience selector, voice status and the ability to react with emojis — to make expressing yourself with others easier.

Status on WhatsApp is a popular way to share updates with friends and close contacts. Every status disappears in 24 hours and may include photos, videos, GIFs, text and more. Just like your personal chats and calls, your WhatsApp status is protected by end-to-end encryption so you can share privately and securely.

The status you share may not always be right for all of your contacts, so you can now choose who views your status each time you update it. Your most recent audience selection will be saved and used as the default for your next status. 

Meta is also introducing the ability to record and share voice messages of up to 30 seconds on WhatsApp status. Voice status can be used for sending more personal updates, especially if you feel more comfortable expressing yourself by talking rather than typing.

It is also adding status reactions to provide a quick and easy way to respond to status updates from your contacts. You can now quickly reply to any status by swiping up and tapping on one of eight emojis. You can still reply to a status with text, voice message, stickers and more.

With the new status profile ring, you’ll never miss a status from a loved one. This ring will be present around your contact’s profile picture whenever they share a status update. It will be visible in the chat lists, group participant lists and contact info.

Now when you post a link on your status, you’ll automatically see a visual preview of its content, just like when you send a message. Visual previews make your statuses look better and also give your contacts a better idea of what the link is before they click.

These updates have started rolling out to users globally and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks.