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Original poster

To ask you about these new WhatsApp privacy settings

125 replies

oatmilkicedchai · 04/09/2022 12:41

Does anyone know when the new WhatsApp privacy settings are coming in?

I am waiting to be able to change my settings so that no-one can see when I am online. Best privacy update ever IMO! Does mean can also no longer spy on a partner we might be suspicious of though haha. Yes I have trust issues but am currently single.

Anyway, I would just like to be able to be online writing and reading messages without other friends wondering why my status is online, I find it pressured and anxiety-inducing.

Anyone know when the new feature kicks in?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Keyansier · 04/09/2022 14:05

You can do this already.

When you get a message and want to reply to it without going online, simply pull down your notification screen, long press the message, and a small chat box will appear without opening whatsapp. Write the message, press send, and it will send, without showing you online.

HTH.

Original poster
oatmilkicedchai · 04/09/2022 14:06

NippyWoowoo · 04/09/2022 14:04

This is just a generic Google photo, when a person opens WhatsApp, if you happen to be open onto their chat, you will see that they are online.

If you're chatting to a different person you won't know that, you can only see the online status of someone you've opened the chat page to

Show quote history

Yes, correct. Although you can very easily flick between message screens to view whether or not someone is online, you don't have to be conversing with them at that moment to view their online status

OP posts:
starbaby858 · 04/09/2022 14:07

Keyansier · 04/09/2022 14:05

You can do this already.

When you get a message and want to reply to it without going online, simply pull down your notification screen, long press the message, and a small chat box will appear without opening whatsapp. Write the message, press send, and it will send, without showing you online.

HTH.

This is true. But if the person has sent multiple messages at one go then you’re replying to the first without seeing the second and third message.

For people to like to send multiple messages at once, it doesn’t really work as you’d have to send all your messages in one big paragraph

Keyansier · 04/09/2022 14:08

starbaby858 · 04/09/2022 14:07

This is true. But if the person has sent multiple messages at one go then you’re replying to the first without seeing the second and third message.

For people to like to send multiple messages at once, it doesn’t really work as you’d have to send all your messages in one big paragraph

Show quote history

You can see multiple messages when pulling down notifications, if your phone is set to it.

Yes, you'll only be able to reply in one long paragraph but beggars can't be choosers (until the update, anyway)

Original poster
oatmilkicedchai · 04/09/2022 14:08

Keyansier · 04/09/2022 14:05

You can do this already.

When you get a message and want to reply to it without going online, simply pull down your notification screen, long press the message, and a small chat box will appear without opening whatsapp. Write the message, press send, and it will send, without showing you online.

HTH.

That is not a full work-around though for a couple of reasons:

  1. if their message is too long then you cannot read all of it without properly opening the chat, rather than opting for the long-press Home Screen function; and

  2. if they have sent more than one message and you want to reply to their messages separately then you cannot use this function as once you have replied to one of their messages the rest disappear from the Home Screen

HTH

OP posts:
UnagiForLife · 04/09/2022 14:08

I’m looking forward to being able to leave a group without it being announced that you’ve left, that is going to be a game changer for sure!

NippyWoowoo · 04/09/2022 14:09

Keyansier · 04/09/2022 14:05

You can do this already.

When you get a message and want to reply to it without going online, simply pull down your notification screen, long press the message, and a small chat box will appear without opening whatsapp. Write the message, press send, and it will send, without showing you online.

HTH.

That's not the same (and a bit of extra effort).

The update will mean that that isn't necessary.

Also, no point needing to hide you're online, the fact that you've replied shows that?

It's more for people who don't want to reply straight away but don't want the person to know they're online

Keyansier · 04/09/2022 14:09

oatmilkicedchai · 04/09/2022 14:08

That is not a full work-around though for a couple of reasons:

  1. if their message is too long then you cannot read all of it without properly opening the chat, rather than opting for the long-press Home Screen function; and

  2. if they have sent more than one message and you want to reply to their messages separately then you cannot use this function as once you have replied to one of their messages the rest disappear from the Home Screen

HTH

Show quote history

1 is, AFAIK, correct.
2 is, at least on my phone, incorrect.

Keyansier · 04/09/2022 14:11

NippyWoowoo · 04/09/2022 14:09

That's not the same (and a bit of extra effort).

The update will mean that that isn't necessary.

Also, no point needing to hide you're online, the fact that you've replied shows that?

It's more for people who don't want to reply straight away but don't want the person to know they're online

Show quote history

The OP was saying they wanted a way to reply to a person without other people knowing they are online. That works.

Original poster
oatmilkicedchai · 04/09/2022 14:11

Keyansier · 04/09/2022 14:09

1 is, AFAIK, correct.
2 is, at least on my phone, incorrect.

Show quote history

It is correct on iPhone and has been for a couple of years now. Seems a user above was saying the same thing. So it may not be the case on your phone, but it is for some phones, certainly.

OP posts:
WildFlowerBees · 04/09/2022 14:11

I'd like to know this too, if you signed up for the Beta version it's apparently available but think those of us that haven't will have to wait a bit longer. Best update, no idea why it's ever been necessary to see who's online.

NippyWoowoo · 04/09/2022 14:12

The OP was saying they wanted a way to reply to a person without other people knowing they are online. That works.

Fair point. The update will make it easier

Original poster
oatmilkicedchai · 04/09/2022 14:12

UnagiForLife · 04/09/2022 14:08

I’m looking forward to being able to leave a group without it being announced that you’ve left, that is going to be a game changer for sure!

Game changer for sure!

OP posts:
Original poster
oatmilkicedchai · 04/09/2022 14:13

WildFlowerBees · 04/09/2022 14:11

I'd like to know this too, if you signed up for the Beta version it's apparently available but think those of us that haven't will have to wait a bit longer. Best update, no idea why it's ever been necessary to see who's online.

Yes indeed.

The update was supposed to roll out fully at the end of August. Slightly irritating that its late, but here's hoping it'll be here soon!

OP posts:
WildFlowerBees · 04/09/2022 14:15

I'm guessing it'll be around the time of the new iOS 16 update for Apple which is around the 7th.

girlfriend44 · 04/09/2022 14:22

can someone answer me a question about Whatsapp?

I have a friend whos last seen says 5th August does that mean they havent opened the app since then its a long time.?

LittleFluffyCloudz · 04/09/2022 14:31

But you cannot at present choose to opt-out of people seeing when you are currently online, at that very present moment.

I know. I've tried. I've got quite a demanding friend.

I read that if you put yourself in airplane mode you can hide your online status but if you click on a message, whilst in airplane mode, it still shows it as read. You can't send messages in airplane mode either. You can type and press send but you would have to come out of the app and exit airplane mode before the message sends.

DorritLittle · 04/09/2022 14:39

I'm sick of whatsapp due to the online status and after I found out that even if you turn off read receipts, there is a way people can see if you have read a message, making doing that pointless.

I have one demanding friend who is the only reason I care about any of this.

PrettyPrim · 04/09/2022 14:47

Well apparently I'm wrong but at the risk of being completely roasted and seeming absolutely thick I don't know how I'm wrong. Take my friend Jane ( for example) ... if I go onto our last messages her name kind of drops down at the top. No info or online/offline status given. I don't know if she was last online 5 minutes or 5 weeks ago 🤷‍♀️

NippyWoowoo · 04/09/2022 14:47

DorritLittle · 04/09/2022 14:39

I'm sick of whatsapp due to the online status and after I found out that even if you turn off read receipts, there is a way people can see if you have read a message, making doing that pointless.

I have one demanding friend who is the only reason I care about any of this.

How can people tell if you've read it? I believe that's only true in a group chat. Not in a single message chat.

NippyWoowoo · 04/09/2022 14:48

PrettyPrim · 04/09/2022 14:47

Well apparently I'm wrong but at the risk of being completely roasted and seeming absolutely thick I don't know how I'm wrong. Take my friend Jane ( for example) ... if I go onto our last messages her name kind of drops down at the top. No info or online/offline status given. I don't know if she was last online 5 minutes or 5 weeks ago 🤷‍♀️

That's different, you can't see it because she actually isn't online ATM. if she were to come onto WhatsApp while you were on her page, it would show

Keyansier · 04/09/2022 14:49

PrettyPrim · 04/09/2022 14:47

Well apparently I'm wrong but at the risk of being completely roasted and seeming absolutely thick I don't know how I'm wrong. Take my friend Jane ( for example) ... if I go onto our last messages her name kind of drops down at the top. No info or online/offline status given. I don't know if she was last online 5 minutes or 5 weeks ago 🤷‍♀️

If she was online at the same time as you, it would show "online"

PrettyPrim · 04/09/2022 14:51

@Keyansier and @NippyWoowoo ah I get it now!! Thanks for helping me finally get it!

springisaroundthecorner · 04/09/2022 15:14

There are WhatsApp type apps in Google play for this OP

ComeOnThenFanny · 04/09/2022 15:21

springisaroundthecorner · 04/09/2022 15:14

There are WhatsApp type apps in Google play for this OP

Could you give me an example please? Because I have searched and searched and never found one.

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