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WhatsApp status: What it is and how to use it
Social media has created an obsession with everyone’s “status” — what are you doing right now? Since Facebook owns WhatsApp, it stands to reason that it wouldn’t take long for the status feature to also make its way to WhatsApp eventually. So what does the WhatsApp status feature look like, and how do you get your breakfast onto it?
QUICK ANSWER
To see and view someone's WhatsApp status, go to the WhatsApp mobile app and tap on the Status tab. If any of your contacts have made a recent status update, it will appear here. Just tap on it to view it. On the desktop and web browser versions of WhatsApp, click the broken circle logo next to your profile picture at the top-left to view someone's status.
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Editor’s note: We used a Google Pixel 7 Pro running Android 13, an iPhone 12 Mini running iOS 16.3.1, and a custom Windows computer running Windows 11. Some steps may differ, depending on your specific hardware and software.
What is a WhatsApp status?
First, though, we should explain what a status is. On WhatsApp, it can be a picture or video of what you’re doing, what you’re thinking, or something you’ve seen. It differs slightly from Facebook Stories and Instagram Stories in that the latter two are more feature-rich, including being able to “like” the status/story and leave comments.
Now that you know what WhatsApp statuses are all about, it’s time to learn how to use view them and create your own.
How to use WhatsApp status on Android
Let’s start with Android, shall we? Of course, the first thing you’ll want to try is viewing some of your contacts’ status updates on WhatsApp. Just launch WhatsApp, hit the Status tab, and all your contacts’ updates should be here. As you can see, my buds are pretty quiet right now.
How to see other people’s WhatsApp status updates on Android:
- Launch WhatsApp.
- Tap on the Status tab.
- All WhatsApp status updates will show up here.
Are you feeling adventurous? Maybe it’s time to share your own WhatsApp status with the world. From this page, you can also create your own WhatsApp status. After you launch WhatsApp and tap on the Status tab, hit the My Status option up top. You can now take photos, record videos, or choose from your library. You can also edit the image to your liking. Hit the Send button when done, and your status will be shared with your contacts.
How to update your WhatsApp status on Android:
- Launch WhatsApp.
- Tap on the Status tab.
- Tap on the My Status option.
- Shoot your image, video, or pick media from your library.
- You can now edit your content.
- Hit Send when done.
Are you not convinced with that WhatsApp Status? You can also delete it! Just go to WhatsApp > Status and tap on the three-dot menu button next to your status. Tap on the three-dot menu button again, then select Delete. Confirm by hitting Delete again.
How to delete your WhatsApp status on Android:
- Launch WhatsApp.
- Tap on the Status tab.
- Tap on the three-dot menu button next to your status.
- Tap on the three-dot menu button again.
- Select Delete.
- Confirm by hitting Delete again.
How to use WhatsApp status on iPhone
Are you an iPhone user? We’ll give you simplified instructions on how to perform the same steps as above. The idea and general process are very similar, so no need to over-explain things. There are some slight differences in how things look, though. Here you go!
How to see other people’s WhatsApp status updates on iPhone:
- Launch WhatsApp.
- Tap on the Status tab.
- All WhatsApp status updates will show up here.
Update your WhatsApp status on iPhone:
- Launch WhatsApp.
- Tap on the Status tab.
- Tap on the My Status option.
- Shoot your image, video, or pick media from your library.
- You can now edit your content.
- Hit Send when done.
How to delete your WhatsApp status on iPhone:
- Launch WhatsApp.
- Tap on the Status tab.
- Tap on the status you want to delete.
- Tap on the three-dot menu button again.
- Select Delete.
- Confirm by hitting Delete 1 Status Update.
What about using WhatsApp status on the web?
If you’re using WhatsApp Web, you can only view status updates. You can’t create these using your computer. Simply launch WhatsApp Web, click on the broken circle next to your profile image (in the top-left corner), and all WhatsApp status updates will show up here.
FAQs
Twenty-four hours, then it disappears (unless you delete it sooner, obviously).
No, once it’s gone, it’s gone.
There doesn’t seem to be an iPhone solution, but on Android :
- Download Google Files.
- Tap on the menu icon at the top left corner of the app.
- Tap on Settings and toggle on Show hidden files.
- Go to the File Manager of your device. Then navigate to Internal storage > WhatsApp > Media > Statuses.
- All the statuses you have viewed will show in this folder. Tap on the desired image or video. Long press on the selected item and save it to your desired location on the device.
Alternatively, see if the contact has synced the status to their Facebook account. You may be able to download it there.
You need to change your privacy settings in advance so your last seen status is not viewable. You can also go offline on the mobile app and watch it, but your contact will be notified once you go online again. A third option is using WhatsApp Web to view the status update offline in Incognito Mode. But be sure to close the window before reconnecting to the Internet.
WhatsApp says on its Help pages that the maximum length of a status video is 30 seconds.