This will let users share specific updates with a smaller, more trusted group of contacts.
The WhatsApp “Status” feature, similar to Instagram Stories, allows users to post photos, short videos, and text updates that remain visible for 24 hours before disappearing.
Although this feature is not very popular in the United States, it has widespread global adoption, with more than 1.5 billion people interacting with it daily, according to Meta.
How will the new Close Friends list work?
According to WABetaInfo reports, the feature has already appeared in the TestFlight version for iOS. With this addition, users will be able to create a Close Friends list once and then choose whether each status update is visible to all contacts or only to their selected circle.
Close Friends updates will also have a distinctive visual marker: a different colored ring will highlight these posts, helping group members recognize them as content tailored to their circle.
The feature also preserves the privacy of the list — members will not be notified when they are added or removed, giving users full control over their choices.