WhatsApp Releases 'Close Friends' Feature Similar to Instagram
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – WhatsApp has launched the ‘Close Friends’ feature to enable users to share Status updates only with close friends or selected contacts. This feature will generally be similar to the use of ‘Close Friends’ on the Instagram application.
According to WABetaInfo, the ‘Close Friends’ feature is now available on the WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.19.11 and WhatsApp beta for iOS version 26.19.10.72. The feature is currently being distributed in a limited way to a portion of beta users, before being gradually expanded to more users in the coming months.
How does the ‘Close Friends’ feature work on WhatsApp? As reported by ABP, Thursday (4/6/2026), through the latest beta update on iOS and Android, users can create a list of audiences who can see their Status. As a result, contacts not included in the list cannot see the Status.
WhatsApp integrates this feature into the existing Status privacy settings. Users can add or remove contacts from the list at any time, and these changes will take effect immediately for subsequent Status updates.
To maintain privacy, WhatsApp will not send notifications when someone is added or removed from the ‘Close Friends’ list. In addition, users can also create several custom audience lists as needed. For example, creating a list of family contacts for personal updates, colleagues for work-related information, or students for academic communication.
Each list can be given a name and emoji to make it easier to identify. By default, WhatsApp uses a star emoji for the ‘Close Friends’ list. When someone receives a Status shared through a specific list, they can also see the name and emoji of the list used.
Status shared with the ‘Close Friends’ list or other custom audiences will be marked with a purple circle on the Status indicator. This marker appears both in the chat list and the Updates tab, so users can see that the upload is shared with a limited group.
In addition, Meta announced on Wednesday (3/6/2026) the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) services for businesses through WhatsApp. The company is now launching a customer service chatbot known as Meta Business Agent globally on WhatsApp after nearly two years of testing in several countries.