WhatsApp is testing a new visual indicator that shows when a contact is active on the platform. The feature, currently available to some Android beta users, replaces the familiar ‘Online’ text with a green dot on a user's profile picture.
The update was spotted in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.24.5 and is being rolled out to a limited group of testers.
For years, WhatsApp has displayed the word ‘Online’ below a contact's name when they are actively using the app. The latest beta version changes that approach.
Instead of a text label, users will see a green dot on a contact's profile photo when that person is online. The feature does not add any new functionality but changes how the information is presented.
The idea is straightforward: make it easier to tell at a glance whether someone is currently active on WhatsApp.
The rollout is unlikely to raise new privacy concerns. The green dot will only be visible if a user already shares their online status with others.
Anyone who has chosen to hide their online activity through WhatsApp's privacy settings will continue to remain invisible. In other words, the update changes the appearance of online status, not the privacy rules behind it.
Indicators for visual activity have become quite popular on all social and messenger sites. Many apps like Messenger, Instagram, and Telegram use colored dots to denote the user’s online presence.
WhatsApp seems to follow suit and replaces text with a instantly recognizable indicator like a green dot. The company has been rolling out a range of small interface improvements for the past year and more focused on usability rather than any radical change.
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The green dot feature is limited to just a few Android beta users. There hasn’t been any official announcement from WhatsApp regarding a timeline for a general release.
This feature test is commonly used to receive feedback from users. Although some tests never make it into the final product, the green-dot indicator is rather consistent with the existing functions.
If WhatsApp chooses to launch a general release of this feature, users will soon see a green dot instead of text that reads ‘Online’. For the majority of people, it will be a minor change that makes their status easier to identify.