WhatsApp is rolling out a Beta feature that will allow users to hide their “Last Seen” status, profile picture, and “About” information from a specific contact while allowing everyone else to see it. The feature is currently available for those using WhatsApp beta for iOS 22.9.0.70, according to Wabetainfo.
According to screenshots obtained by the WhatsApp information portal, users with the new Beta update can access this feature by going to Settings > Account > Privacy. In the Privacy section, this new feature is available for the user’s Last Seen, Profile Picture, and About information.
Before the update, users were only presented with three options: Everyone, My Contact, and No One. The new update adds a new option specifying “My contacts except…”, allowing users to add contacts to the list. Contacts added to this list will not be able to see the user’s Last Seen.
This feature was rolled out to Beta testers on April 16, and according to Wabetainfor, it might roll out to more devices soon.
On April 15, WhatsApp announced that it will be rolling out the Communities feature that will help better manage and organize group conversations across devices globally.
The communities would be like a “directory of groups,” according to a WhatsApp spokesperson, who added that the feature would allow anyone to “manage their own community with various groups but some common links.”
Anyone can create a community and invite multiple groups to join, but groups will only become part of the community if their respective admins accept the invitation.
WhatsApp is also reportedly testing a feature that will increase the maximum allowed file size users can send to 2GB from the current 100MB, bringing the service closer to competitor Telegram, which allows users to send files up to 1 .5 GB without any compression.
Prior to that, the Meta-owned messaging service also rolled out the “Linked Devices” feature for all users, allowing them to connect up to five devices to their WhatsApp chat without the need to keep their main device online all the time.
