WhatsApp is getting several new privacy features this month, including the ability to hide the “online now” status. In addition, users will soon not be able to take screenshots with View Once images and users will be able to quietly leave group conversations.
The update allows users to choose who to show their “online now” status, says Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook. Hiding the ‘last seen’ status was already possible, but other users could still see whether someone was active on WhatsApp or not. According to, among others, The Guardian users will soon be able to choose that everyone can see the ‘now online’ status, or only certain users, or no one.
It was already known that WhatsApp wanted to make it possible to hide the ‘now online’ status. Via WABetaInfo, it was also known that WhatsApp is working on a feature that will allow users to leave group conversations without notifying all users about it. WhatsApp says that an update will be released this month that should make this possible. The administrators will still receive a message that a user has left the group.
The third privacy feature has to do with the View Once images. This feature allows users to send images and videos to others, which can be opened once. These files will be deleted after opening and will not be saved in the recipient’s gallery.
However, users can still take screenshots when opening such an image or video. WhatsApp wants to block this with an update that will appear ‘soon’. Taking screenshots will still be possible for, for example, rooted phones.