WhatsApp Tests New Green Dot Online Indicator for iPhone Users
WhatsApp Tests New Green Dot Online Indicator for iPhone Users
Publish Date: 2026-07-04 08:00:00
Source Domain: www.iphoneincanada.ca
WhatsApp is rolling out a new visual feature for its iOS beta app to help users quickly see when their contacts are active, according to its latest beta version. The latest update introduces a small green dot next to a user’s profile photo inside the chat info screen, reports WABetaInfo.
The new indicator is designed to make it faster to see if a contact is available before you send a message. The green dot stays visible as long as the contact is active on the app and vanishes the moment they log off. It reminds us of the green dot you see in Messenger and on Facebook. No surprise it’s making its way over to WhatsApp.
This change replaces the traditional text label that previously appeared under a contact’s name. Currently, the green dot is limited to the chat info screen, which is the page that opens when you tap a contact’s name at the top of a conversation. It does not appear in the main chat list or within the active message thread itself.
The green dot will only show up for contacts who have enabled their online status in their privacy settings. If a user chooses to hide their last seen and online status, the green dot will never appear.
The feature is part of a bigger shift as WhatsApp creates a dedicated Contacts hub for both Android and iOS, which will eventually list recently active contacts in one place.
The green dot is currently available to select testers who install the WhatsApp beta for iOS version 26.26.10.72 via TestFlight, alongside a few users on the standard App Store version. WhatsApp plans to expand the indicator to more accounts over the coming weeks, though a definitive date for a stable public release has not been set.
