WhatsApp is continuing to refine how users control who sees their status updates, with the latest Android beta revealing a dedicated close friends list and expanded custom-list options.
While a recent build introduced the ability to create named status lists with grouped contacts and an emoji for quick identification, the newest beta, 2.26.5.13, makes clear that WhatsApp is moving toward a simpler way to share updates with a selected inner circle.
The custom lists feature allows users to assemble contact groups for status sharing and label them with a name and emoji so they are easy to pick from.
That approach reduces the need to change privacy settings every time a user wants to share something with a different audience, letting people reuse the same list whenever they post.
The close friends list is a special variant of those custom groups. Beta screenshots show users choosing contacts to include either from the status privacy settings or directly within the status composer.
Once a list is set, users can add or remove people at any time, but changes affect only future posts; a status already shared with a contact remains visible to them even after they are removed from the list.
WhatsApp will also mark posts shared with close friends using a different colored ring around the poster’s profile photo so recipients can tell they were included in a tighter circle.
The company appears focused on making selection and sharing straightforward, offering the same three legacy privacy choices alongside the new close friends option inside the status interface.
Testing remains ongoing as WhatsApp is polishing the selection flow and ironing out interface details before wider distribution, and the feature will first reach a subset of beta testers for feedback.
If the current builds are any indication, the final release will let users manage curated audiences for status updates without repeatedly wading into privacy menus, making selective sharing more convenient and visible.
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