TL; DR
- WhatsApp is testing a green dot that shows when a contact is currently online and active on the app.
- The feature is rolling out gradually to Android and iOS beta users through a server-side update.
- The green dot follows the existing Online and Last Seen privacy settings, with no new privacy controls being added.
WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature that makes it easier to see when your contacts are actively using the app. A growing number of users are now seeing a green dot next to contacts who are currently online, following months of beta testing. The feature first appeared in WhatsApp’s Android beta builds and is now gradually reaching users on the iOS version.
What the Green Dot Does
The green dot appears next to a contact’s profile picture to indicate they’re currently active on WhatsApp. Unlike the existing “Last Seen” timestamp, this shows real-time activity, making it easier to know if someone is available for a conversation.
The indicator works much like the online status dots on apps such as Instagram and Facebook Messenger.
The feature is being enabled gradually through a server-side rollout, so it may not appear immediately even if you’ve updated to the latest version of WhatsApp Beta.
Privacy Remains the Same
WhatsApp isn’t introducing any new privacy settings for this feature. The green dot follows the same visibility rules as your existing Online and Last Seen status. If your online status is hidden from someone, they won’t see the green dot either.
The update is a small change, but it makes it much quicker to tell when someone is actively using WhatsApp without opening the chat or checking their last seen status.
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