The world’s most popular instant messaging app, WhatsApp, is working on a new personalization feature for status updates to improve user experience. Discovered in iOS and Android beta versions released via TestFlight, this new feature allows users to share their status updates only with specific private lists they have defined. Functioning similarly to the Close Friends logic on Instagram, this system will eliminate the need for users to manually change privacy settings before every post. The feature, currently in the development stage, is expected to be available to all users in the coming days.

• WhatsApp is working on a feature to create custom contact lists for sharing status updates.

• Thanks to a default list called Close Friends, users will be able to share private content quickly.

• Shared statuses will be marked with a purple ring to distinguish them from other updates.

• This feature is being developed simultaneously for both iOS and Android platforms.

Status Privacy Settings Become More Practical

Currently, WhatsApp offers users three basic privacy options: My Contacts, My Contacts Except…, and Only Share With…. However, these settings can be a cumbersome process for users who frequently share with different audiences. For instance, a user who wants to share one post only with family members and the next with their entire contact list must manually update the settings each time. The newly developed private lists feature eliminates this confusion by allowing users to select pre-defined groups.

Close Friends List Gets a Special Look

The Close Friends concept, familiar from Instagram, is now being integrated into WhatsApp. When users share statuses specifically for people on this list, these posts are indicated with a purple visual, unlike others. This way, both the sharer and the viewer can easily understand that the content is aimed at a private audience. The purple ring separates itself from the standard green ring, symbolizing that the status was shared with a private list.

• Users will be able to see the names and assigned emojis of the lists they create, but they will not be able to see the other members of a list they are in.

Multiple Lists Can Be Created for Different Groups

Not limited to just close friends, this feature allows for the creation of separate lists for different social groups, such as colleagues or family members. This allows users to send a status they want to share with their professional circle to the relevant list with a single tap. The fact that lists can be named provides the user with a great control mechanism over which post goes to which audience.

The requirement to reset privacy settings before each post completely ends with this new system.

New Feature is Currently in Development

As of now, this feature is only accessible to specific beta users and has not yet been opened to general use. WhatsApp developers are meticulously continuing the testing process to ensure system stability and evaluate user feedback. While the official release date for all Android and iOS users is not yet finalized, the simultaneous testing on both platforms is a strong sign that the feature will be released soon.

Do you find WhatsApp’s new Close Friends and private list feature useful? Would it help you share status updates more frequently? Don’t forget to share your views in the comments section below!