In 2017, WhatsApp introduced its Status feature, similar to today’s Facebook and Instagram Stories. Users can upload photos, videos, and static texts as status, which disappears after 24 hours. It’s also possible to post multiple status updates throughout the day.
Similar to the other two Facebook-owned platforms, you get the option to choose who can see your status updates on WhatsApp. Furthermore, you can also check which contacts view your status regularly.
Many of you probably don’t know about this – but you can actually open someone’s WhatsApp status without letting them know. WhatsApp doesn’t explicitly have a new privacy feature related to it, but it’s linked to an older option instead.
When others read your message (or vice-versa), it’s indicated by a blue-tick mark known as the Read Receipts. You can turn off the feature in WhatsApp to restrict the receipts from being either sent or received.
The same privacy option also affects status updates, giving you the ability to view someone’s status without showing your profile in the checklist. You can follow this guide for more info.
Steps to anonymously view WhatsApp status updates
As we mentioned previously, you can disable Read Receipts to avoid exposing yourself up to someone’s status checklist. Here’s how you can turn off the feature:
- Start with launching WhatsApp on your Android or iOS device. It won’t work if you are using the web version.
- Tap the three-dot kabab menu icon on the upper-right side of the screen and tap Settings.
- Go to the Account page from the Settings, then tap Privacy in the options.
- Finally, toggle the slider off next to the “Read receipts” option.
- You can now exit the WhatsApp Settings menu and head over to the Status tab to privately check a status.
There is one caveat to disabling Read Receipts on WhatsApp. If someone else opens your status, they won’t show up in your checklist, just like how you can’t see whether someone has read your texts or not.
Apart from that, in case you decide to turn on the Read Receipts feature right after you open a user’s status update, the following users will see you in the checklist. To ensure that you don’t notify the sender, you mustn’t enable the feature before the status expires in 24 hours.
Talha Ali is your tech generalist, covering a wide spectrum of topics within the ever-evolving world of technology. With a curiosity for the latest innovations, industry trends, and breakthroughs. Whether it’s hardware, software, emerging technologies, or the intersection of tech with daily life, Talha’s articles provide readers with a well-rounded perspective on the dynamic landscape of the tech industry.
