How to restrict WhatsApp status updates?

Controlling your WhatsApp status privacy is crucial for maintaining your online safety and managing your digital footprint. Your WhatsApp status updates, including text, photos, and videos, are visible to various contacts based on your chosen privacy settings.

WhatsApp offers various privacy options:

• Everyone: Anyone, even those not in your contacts, can see your updates.
• My Contacts: Only those saved in your phone’s address book can view your statuses.
• My Contacts Except…: You can specifically exclude certain contacts from seeing your status.
• Only Share With: You can choose specific contacts who can see your status updates.

Choosing the right setting ensures only your selected audience sees your personal updates. This article will guide you through the steps of restricting who can view your WhatsApp statuses, providing detailed instructions for each privacy level.

Restricting Status Updates to Contacts Only

To share your WhatsApp status updates only with your contacts, follow these steps:

Android:

1. Open WhatsApp and tap the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Tap “Settings”.
3. Tap “Account”.
4. Tap “Privacy”.
5. Tap “Status”.
6. Choose “My contacts”.

iOS:

1. Open WhatsApp and tap “Settings”.
2. Tap “Account”.
3. Tap “Privacy”.
4. Tap “Status”.
5. Choose “My contacts”.

Troubleshooting:

• Ensure Contacts are Synced: Verify that your contacts are correctly synced with your phone. Go to your phone’s contact settings and check for sync issues.
• Restart WhatsApp: If the changes don’t take effect, restart your WhatsApp application.
• Update WhatsApp: Make sure your WhatsApp is updated to the latest version.
• Check Phone Settings: Check your phone’s settings to ensure that WhatsApp has the necessary permissions to access your contacts.

If problems persist after these steps, consider using a parental control app to enforce restrictions, such as mSpy or free alternatives.

Sharing Statuses with Specific Contacts Only

You can share your WhatsApp statuses with specific contacts only, giving you more control over your privacy. Here’s how to create a custom list for both Android and iOS:

Android:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
2. Tap on Account, then Privacy.
3. Select Status.
4. Under Share my status with, choose My contacts except… or Only share with…
5. If you chose My contacts except…, tap the contacts you want to exclude. If you chose Only share with…, tap the contacts you want to include. You can add or remove contacts by tapping the add button or removing the check mark next to their names.

iOS:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
2. Tap on Account, then Privacy.
3. Select Status.
4. Under Share my status with, choose My contacts except… or Only share with…
5. If you chose My contacts except…, tap the contacts you want to exclude. If you chose Only share with…, tap the contacts you want to include. You can add or remove contacts by tapping the add button or removing the check mark next to their names.

Benefits:

• Increased privacy: Share personal moments with only trusted contacts.
• Selective sharing: Control who sees your daily updates.
• Peace of mind: Avoid sharing sensitive information with unwanted viewers.

Blocking Contacts from Viewing Statuses

To prevent specific contacts from viewing your WhatsApp statuses, you can block them. Once blocked, they won’t be able to see your future status updates.

Blocking a Contact on Android:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to the Chats tab.
2. Find the chat with the contact you want to block.
3. Tap on their name to open their profile.
4. Scroll down and tap Block.
5. Confirm that you want to block them.

Screenshot of Android blocking process would go here.

Blocking a Contact on iOS:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to the Chats tab.
2. Find the chat with the contact you want to block.
3. Tap on their name to open their profile.
4. Scroll down and tap Block.
5. Confirm that you want to block them.

Screenshot of iOS blocking process would go here.

Important Note: Blocking a contact also prevents them from contacting you through WhatsApp. If you only wish to limit who sees your status, but still want to communicate with that contact, you might consider using WhatsApp’s privacy settings (to choose who can see your status) rather than blocking them entirely. For more comprehensive monitoring and control options, you may consider using a paid parental control app in addition to the built-in features. mSpy or FlexiSpy offer advanced capabilities.

Utilizing WhatsApp’s Privacy Settings for Enhanced Control

Beyond restricting status updates, you can enhance your WhatsApp privacy using additional settings. Here’s how to manage your profile picture, last seen, and about information:

1. Profile Picture Privacy:

• Android: Open WhatsApp > tap More options > Settings > Account > Privacy > Profile photo. Choose who can see your profile picture: Everyone, My contacts, or Nobody.
• iOS: Open WhatsApp > tap Settings > Account > Privacy > Profile photo. Choose who can see your profile picture: Everyone, My contacts, or Nobody.

2. Last Seen Privacy:

• Android: Open WhatsApp > tap More options > Settings > Account > Privacy > Last seen. Choose who can see your last seen: Everyone, My contacts, or Nobody.
• iOS: Open WhatsApp > tap Settings > Account > Privacy > Last seen. Choose who can see your last seen: Everyone, My contacts, or Nobody.

3. About Privacy:

• Android: Open WhatsApp > tap More options > Settings > Account > Privacy > About. Choose who can see your about information: Everyone, My contacts, or Nobody.
• iOS: Open WhatsApp > tap Settings > Account > Privacy > About. Choose who can see your about information: Everyone, My contacts, or Nobody.

Note: Changing these settings affects what others see. If you set a setting to ‘Nobody’, no one will see that information. Remember that if you can’t see someone’s last seen, they may have their privacy settings set similarly.

This guide explored several ways to control who sees your WhatsApp Status updates, from using privacy settings to managing your contact list. Remember, your privacy settings aren’t static; regularly reviewing and updating them is crucial to maintaining control over your information.

Beyond WhatsApp, remember these broader online safety tips:

• Strong Passwords: Use unique, strong passwords for all your accounts. Consider a password manager to help.
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA whenever possible for added security.
• Privacy Settings Check-up: Periodically review the privacy settings on all your social media platforms.
• Be Mindful of Links & Downloads: Avoid clicking suspicious links or downloading files from untrusted sources.
• Limit Personal Information: Be cautious about sharing personal details online.
• App Permissions: Review the permissions granted to your apps and restrict unnecessary access.

For more comprehensive parental control, in addition to free options, consider exploring advanced features offered by paid apps such as mSpy or FlexiSpy.

Share your experiences and any questions you have in the comments below! Let’s learn together how to best protect our online privacy.