WhatsApp is taking a leaf out of Instagram’s playbook by testing a new “Close Friends” feature for status updates, offering users a more private way to share moments. The feature, spotted in the latest iOS beta, allows users to create a list of close contacts and selectively share status updates with them.

According to WABetaInfo, users will first need to add contacts to their Close Friends list. Once the list is set up, they can choose to share specific status updates exclusively with those contacts at the time of upload.

Instagram, WhatsApp’s sister platform, popularized the concept of close friends lists, enabling users to share stories privately. Now, WhatsApp seems to be following suit, creating a similar intimate sharing experience within the messaging app.

The status updates shared with close friends will be visually distinct from regular updates that are visible to all contacts. However, there is a limitation: a status update will not be retroactively visible to contacts added to the close friends list after the upload. Users would need to re-upload the update for any new additions to see it.

Importantly, WhatsApp is maintaining user privacy with this feature. As with Instagram, no contact will be notified when they are added or removed from the Close Friends list. This ensures that users can manage their lists discreetly without any awkwardness.

While WhatsApp previously allowed sharing status updates with selected contacts, these updates appeared identical to regular statuses. The introduction of a dedicated Close Friends list now provides a clearer distinction, creating a more personalized space for sharing updates. As with standard statuses, updates shared with close friends will last for 24 hours.

This development comes amid a wave of new features being rolled out by WhatsApp. The platform recently introduced an AI-powered writing tool, which allows users to enhance texts and even adjust the tone of their messages before sending.

Additionally, WhatsApp is testing a feature to make messages disappear as quickly as one hour after sending, further emphasizing privacy and control for users.

With the new Close Friends feature, WhatsApp is expanding its social functionality, blending messaging convenience with more intimate, selective sharing options. The move reflects a broader trend by Meta to unify its messaging and social apps while prioritizing user privacy and choice.

As this feature is currently in beta, it will be interesting to see when WhatsApp rolls it out for all users and how it changes the way people share updates within the platform.