WhatsApp to soon allow you to hide your online status; check

WhatsApp is working on a wide range of features and is expected to release some of them this year. The messaging platform could soon add features like an unread chat filter button, quick reactions for status updates, a blur tool for media editor and more. Now a new update shows that WhatsApp will soon also allow you to hide your online status, which will be one of the biggest additions to the platform.

WhatsApp has allowed people to hide their profile picture, status, and last seen for some time now, but it never offered an option to hide online status. It looks like WhatsApp could finally make this happen as this is a feature that the Signal app offers users, and many people appreciate it as an optional privacy feature.

WaBetaInfo spotted the new feature in WhatsApp's Android 2.22.16.12 beta and even shared a screenshot. It will be visible in the settings menu > Account > Privacy. Here you will find the option "Last seen and online" at the top of the screen. You simply need to tap on that to access the feature.

You will see four options in the Last Seen section, which are pretty self-explanatory. These are Everyone, My Contacts, My Contacts Except, and Nobody. In the Online Status section, there will be two options All and Same as Last Seen. So, if you want everyone's online status, you'll need to select "Nobody" in the Last Seen section and "Same as Last Seen" in the Online Status part.

Having the ability to hide online status on WhatsApp would mean that no one can tell if you have opened WhatsApp or not. So, if you choose to hide your online status and last seen it, the sender will never know if you have read messages or trying to ignore a particular contact. Please note that the feature is currently under development and will likely be released soon.