WhatsApp Introduces User Tagging in Status Updates

WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature that allows users to tag other people in their Status updates, further enhancing the platform's Instagram Stories-like functionality. The addition aims to make it easier for users to connect with friends and family on the popular messaging app.

whatsapp status user tagging
The new tagging feature enables users to mention up to five other WhatsApp accounts in their Status updates. When tagged, these users will receive a private notification and have the option to reshare the Status on their own account. WhatsApp says it has built in privacy controls, allowing users to tag someone without explicitly displaying their name in the Status.

In addition to tagging, WhatsApp is also introducing a "like" feature for Status updates. Similar to Instagram Stories, users can now react to their friends' Status posts with a single tap, providing a quick way to acknowledge the content without sending a full message.

"WhatsApp Status is the best way to stay connected with friends and family and now we're making it even better," the Meta-owned company said in a blog post. "With status likes, private mentions and the ability to reshare a status you're mentioned in, we're making it easier to reach the people who matter most."

The Status updates come on the heels of new video call effects, including filters and custom backgrounds, that were announced by WhatsApp earlier this week.

The effects allow users to apply 10 different filters and choose from 10 background options during video calls. Both the Status tagging feature and the new video call effects are rolling out to all WhatsApp users globally over the coming weeks.

Popular Stories

New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

20 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Monday December 16, 2024 8:55 am PST by
Apple released iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. Apple has added a handful of new non-AI related feature controls as...
iphone 16 apple intelligence

Apple Drops Plans for iPhone Hardware Subscription Service

Wednesday December 18, 2024 11:39 am PST by
Apple is no longer planning to launch a hardware subscription service that would let customers "subscribe" to get a new iPhone each year, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman first shared rumors about Apple's work on a hardware subscription service back in 2022, and at the time, he said that Apple wanted to develop a simple system that would allow customers to pay a monthly fee to gain...
blackmagic vision pro

Blackmagic Debuts $30K 3D Camera for Capturing Video for Vision Pro

Monday December 16, 2024 4:17 pm PST by
Blackmagic today announced that its URSA Cine Immersive camera is now available for pre-order, with deliveries set to start late in the first quarter of 2025. Blackmagic says that this is the world's first commercial camera system designed to capture 3D content for the Vision Pro. The URSA Cine Immersive camera was first introduced in June, but it has not been available for purchase until...
mac pro creativity

Apple Launched the Controversial 'Trashcan' Mac Pro 11 Years Ago Today

Thursday December 19, 2024 7:00 pm PST by
Apple launched the controversial "trashcan" Mac Pro eleven years ago today, introducing one of its most criticized designs that persisted through a period of widespread discontentment with the Mac lineup. The redesign took the Mac Pro in an entirely new direction, spearheaded by a polished aluminum cylindrical design that became unofficially dubbed the "trashcan" in the Mac community. All of ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 2 Redux

Top 5 Apple Products to Look Forward to in 2025

Friday December 20, 2024 2:22 pm PST by
It's looking like 2025 is going to be an important year for Apple, with the company planning to revamp the iPhone, push further into smart home products, and improve Apple Intelligence. There are tons of new products rumored for 2025, including new iPhones, M4 Macs, a smart home command center, and much more. We've highlighted the top five Apple products that will have the biggest impact in...
apple tv 4k yellow bg feature

New Apple TV Rumored to Launch Next Year With These Features

Tuesday December 17, 2024 9:02 am PST by
The current Apple TV 4K was released more than two years ago, so the streaming device is becoming due for a hardware upgrade soon. Fortunately, it was recently rumored that a new Apple TV will launch at some point next year. Below, we recap rumors about the next-generation Apple TV. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last week reported that Apple has been working on its own combined Wi-Fi and...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Rumored to Stick With 'Triangular' Camera Design

Wednesday December 18, 2024 2:36 am PST by
Contrary to recent reports, the iPhone 17 Pro will not feature a horizontal camera layout, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post on Weibo, the leaker said that a source has confirmed that while the appearance of the back of the iPhone 17 Pro has indeed changed, the layout of the three cameras is "still triangular," rather than the "horizontal bar spread on the...
elevation lab airtag battery

Your AirTag's Battery Will Last for Up to 10 Years With Elevation Lab's New TimeCapsule Enclosure

Wednesday December 18, 2024 10:05 am PST by
Elevation Lab today announced the launch of TimeCapsule, an innovative and simple solution for increasing the battery life of Apple's AirTag. Priced at $20, TimeCapsule is an AirTag enclosure that houses two AA batteries that offer 14x more battery capacity than the CR2032 battery that the AirTag runs on. It works by attaching the AirTag's upper housing to the built-in custom contact in the...

Top Rated Comments

GuilleA Avatar
11 weeks ago
OMFG just leave WhatsApp be for messages only, this Instagramification seems idiotic.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mrkevinfinnerty Avatar
11 weeks ago
pls stop. Just stop.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
farkingdom Avatar
11 weeks ago
And more than a decade later, WhatsApp iPad is still missing
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tyr2 Avatar
11 weeks ago
I can't recall anyone ever setting their status to anything other than whatever they chose when they first signed up. Who gives a crap about someone's WhatsApp status??
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LowKeyed Avatar
11 weeks ago

This is happening to so many services and I don't get it. Is it that the kids really like this and use it? Or is it just more corporate marketing research showing that the kids like Stories so we need a Story too or we'll be late on Stories!
It is to drive engagement / usage. The more you get feedback on your activities, the more likely you are to continue to use the service and hopefully (for Meta at least) increase your usage. The more information/usage they are able to view/record the easier it is to monetize that information. And while in WA, they don't have access to the content of your messages, they do retain all the data associated with the message, such as locations, who's getting it, when it was sent, etc... They can couple that information with other known details to improve there profile of you, which makes it easier to monetize your actives.

There is a large body of work that documents the "Dopamine Release and Reward System" response to attention being paid to your online activities. This forum uses it, it's why you can like a person's post and you get notified that someone reacted to your post on the top of the screen, which gives you a little rush, which keeps you coming back for more.

It is all part of the process to create an addiction.

Ok, I'll remove my tin foil hat now. :D
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wanha Avatar
11 weeks ago

OMFG just leave WhatsApp be for messages only, this Instagramification seems idiotic.
imo the likeliest explanation for this is Meta's never-ending worry of losing the younger demographics of the market, hence the need to keep introducing social media-like functionality to WA
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)