Observed Signal · Jun 25, 2026 · Product Update · Source: t3n · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
WhatsApp Adds Green Dot Online Indicator
Meta is beta-testing a green-dot presence indicator in WhatsApp that signals when a contact is actively using the app. The dot currently appears in a contact's info next to their profile picture and will replace the textual "Online" label there. It is visible only when WhatsApp is in the foreground and respects users' privacy settings that hide their online status. According to reports from WABetaInfo and t3n, the feature is limited to beta testers for now but is expected to roll out to chat lists and chat headers later, tied to an upcoming redesign of the Contacts tab that will include an online/offline filter. No public release date has been announced. The article was published/updated on 2026-06-25.
Feature update from a major platform (Meta) affecting presence indicators and UX in a widely used messaging app; could influence privacy perceptions and future presence-based UI/feature expectations.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Meta is testing green dot presence indicators inside WhatsApp with beta users.
- The green dot currently appears in a contact's info next to their profile picture and replaces the textual "Online" label there.
- The dot is shown only when WhatsApp is in the foreground and is not shown if a contact has disabled sharing their online status in privacy settings.
- Meta plans to extend the green dot to chat overviews and chat headers and tie it to a redesigned Contacts tab with an online/offline filter; timing of public rollout is unknown.
Connected Companies & Entities
8 Entities mapped“WhatsApp will show green dots to indicate when a person currently has the messenger open; the dot appears in the contact info next to the pr...”
“Meta has several new features for WhatsApp in the pipeline; Meta is working on integrating green dots into the messenger....”
“As WABetaInfo reports, WhatsApp users will soon see green dots in the messenger indicating online contacts....”
“Other communication platforms such as Slack also use a similar green-dot online indicator....”
“Other communication platforms such as Teams also use a similar green-dot online indicator....”
“t3n published the article reporting the WhatsApp green-dot beta and noted the piece was originally published on 2026-06-19 and updated for r...”
“TargetVideo GmbH is mentioned as an external content provider embedded in the article's editorial page content....”
“X Corp. is mentioned as an external content provider embedded in the article's editorial page content....”
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
WhatsApp Tests Green Dot Online Indicator
Meta is testing a new green-dot presence indicator in WhatsApp, currently available to select beta testers. The dot appears next to a contact’s profile picture in the contact info view and signals that the person currently has WhatsApp open in the foreground; it does not appear if the app is in the background or if the contact has disabled sharing their online status. The visual indicator will replace the textual “Online” label and is planned to surface more widely — including the chat list and the top of individual chats — as part of a contacts‑tab redesign that will add filters for online/offline contacts. No public release date for the feature has been announced.
WhatsApp tests green online-status dot
Meta is testing a new green-dot online indicator in WhatsApp that is currently available to some beta testers. According to WABetaInfo and reporting by t3n, the dot appears in a contact's info next to the profile picture and will replace the current “Online” text. The green dot only shows when WhatsApp is open in the foreground and respects users’ privacy settings that hide online status. Meta plans to extend the indicator to chat headers and the chat list and to add a contacts tab filter for online/offline contacts, but no general release date has been announced. The feature mirrors presence indicators used by other messaging and collaboration platforms such as Slack, Teams and Facebook Messenger.
WhatsApp tests green online dot, plans Contacts Hub
WhatsApp is testing a small green online indicator in its iOS beta (version 26.26.10.72) that replaces the text-based “Online” label and appears as a dot on a contact’s profile picture while they actively use the app. The indicator currently shows only inside chat info for some beta users and vanishes when the contact leaves the app. Separately, WhatsApp is developing a centralized Contacts Hub for Android and iOS to list which contacts are online or were recently active, with sorting by name or online status. The feature respects existing privacy settings: the indicator only appears for contacts who’ve shared their online status.
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