The 'Online' status indication may be completely disabled in the future, allowing you to access the app anytime you want without your friends, family, coworkers, or pretty much anybody else finds out. It now appears that WhatsApp is finally working on this.

According to a recent claim by WABetaInfo, which has an excellent track record of foreseeing WhatsApp's future features, the platform is developing a feature that would allow users to choose who can view their online status.

WhatsApp will provide you a choice between two settings for your "Online" indicator, as shown in the example shared above. You can either set it to "Everyone" so that anybody can see when you're online (unless they are blocked), or you can set it to "Same as Last Seen" so that only people who have permission to see your Last Seen indicator can see your "Online" indicator.

The number of persons who can see your "Online" status will also vary depending on how you select your "Last Seen" setting. For instance, no one will be able to view your "Last Seen" or "Online" indicators if you set them to "Nobody" and "Same as Last Seen," respectively.

According to the article, even though the screenshot was taken on an iOS device, Android and desktop users will ultimately be able to use the functionality as well. Keep in mind that the functionality is in construction, thus a time estimate is not possible. Beta users will receive the implementation first, and stable users should receive the update once any bugs have been resolved.

A look at the most important WhatsApp privacy features over the years

Here are some WhatsApp features aimed at helping you maintain your privacy.

WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, describes itself as a "simple, dependable messaging and calling" service. India has the largest user base for WhatsApp, with around 487 million users, according to Statista, making it the nation with the largest user base overall. Here are a few of the security and privacy features that have been added to the app throughout time.

Block contacts from seeing your profile photo, last seen information, and status updates.

A new WhatsApp update from earlier this week introduced a new way for you to keep your profile image, status updates, and other information private from others. Prior to the upgrade, you had the option of letting anybody, all of your contacts, or no one see your profile picture, last seen information, and status updates.

disappearing messages

Disappearing messages, which WhatsApp started introducing at the same time, are a useful tool for users who prefer more privacy. Users of the new feature would be able to set a default timer for all communications, after which they would expire 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days later. People might still get around this functionality, though, by taking screenshots or photos of the discussion on another device.