WhatsApp Testing Granular Privary Controls in iOS

The top WhatsApp beta tracker WABetaInfo reports that Meta has started releasing granular controls for the “About” description, profile photo, and the “Last seen” status on WhatsApp. The feature is already available for all the users of the iOS 22.9.0.70 WhatsApp beta version.

Granular Access Customization 

After updating to the latest version, you can enter WhatsApp “Settings” >”Account” > “Privacy” and select the new “My Contacts except…>” option under each of the sections in the “Privacy” tab. If the option is there, you can use it to add specific contacts to the list to make your profile photo, the “about” section, and the “last seen” status invisible for them. The previous version of the app offered only 3 options, such as Nobody, My Contacts, and Everyone. 

If you decide to hide your “Last seen” status from specific contacts, you will no longer be able to view their status as well. However, this rule doesn’t work for the “about” section and the avatars, at least in the current version. The feature works the same on both iOS and Android versions of the app. 

Another freshly announced feature is aimed at helping group chat administrators gain more control. Besides, administrators can now send a single message to all chat members at once. In addition to this, WhatsApp is already rolling out a bunch of messenger improvements, including an extended file sharing capacity, a bunch of new reactions, and an option to add up to 32 participants to group audio calls, regardless of the platform you are using. 

It’s Probably Already There 

As the beta tracker says, the new feature is distributed through server-side switches, which means that the update comes to your app within around 24 hours after the release launch. As you are reading this later, the feature may already be available in your WhatsApp settings. How do you like the new privacy feature, by the way? What else would you like to be added to improve privacy on the app? Let’s chat below and don’t forget to notify friends about the update on social media.