Meta is increasing the privacy of WhatsApp with the introduction of a new “Close Friends” feature for status updates.
Much like Instagram’s popular option, the feature lets users share photos, videos, and text updates with a smaller, curated circle of trusted contacts instead of their entire contact list.
The feature was initially seen in the iOS beta (version 25.23.10.80 via TestFlight) and is aimed at WhatsApp’s 1.5 billion daily Status users.
By making Status more private and selective, WhatsApp is not only enhancing user intimacy but also strengthening Meta’s cross-app integration strategy.
How Close Friends Work
Close Friends allows users to build a dedicated list of people inside WhatsApp’s privacy settings. Once set, any status update can be shared exclusively with this group instead of broadcasting to all contacts.
To make it visually distinct, updates shared with Close Friends will carry a special colored ring around the Status icon. This way, recipients instantly know the update was meant just for them. The list itself is private, meaning contacts won’t know if they’ve been added or removed.
Another important detail is that Close Friends updates are not retroactive. If you add someone later, they won’t see posts you shared before; they’ll only start seeing new ones. As with all status updates, these posts remain end-to-end encrypted and disappear after 24 hours.
WhatsApp already offers privacy settings like “Only Share With” and “My Contacts Except,” but those require constant adjustment. With Close Friends, you only need to create your list once, then share privately whenever you like.
The feature also shows how WhatsApp is aligning more closely with Instagram. Meta is building a consistent experience across its platforms, encouraging people to use them interchangeably while keeping engagement high.
Other Recent WhatsApp Updates
The Close Friends feature comes alongside several new improvements aimed at making WhatsApp more secure and convenient:
- AI Chat Assistant: Meta AI is now built into WhatsApp, helping users draft messages, answer questions, and even generate images.
- Search by Date: Chats can now be searched by date, making it easy to jump to old conversations without endless scrolling.
- Multiple Accounts: Users can run two WhatsApp accounts on the same phone, perfect for balancing work and personal life.
- HD Media Sharing: Photos and videos can now be sent in high quality, preserving detail and clarity.
- Locked Chats & Passkeys: Extra privacy features let users secure sensitive chats with biometrics and log in safely without SMS codes.
Availability
For now, Close Friends is available only to iOS beta testers. WhatsApp hasn’t confirmed when the feature will roll out to Android or reach all users globally.
However, given its popularity on Instagram, a wider release seems likely in the near future.
As with most WhatsApp features, the rollout will depend on user feedback during testing. The company may tweak how the feature works before it makes its way to everyone.
