WhatsApp has begun rolling out a green dot indicator on Android that shows when a contact is currently online, replacing the text-based status label previously used within the chat info screen. The feature appeared in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.24.5, available through the Google Play Store, and is currently visible only to a limited number of beta testers.
The green dot appears directly on a contact’s profile photo within the chat info screen whenever that contact has the app open and their privacy settings allow others to view their online status. Previously, the chat info screen conveyed this information through a simple text label positioned below the profile photo. The shift to a visual indicator placed directly on the profile picture is designed to make online status easier to spot at a glance, without requiring users to read accompanying text.
The update forms part of a broader redesign WhatsApp is building around online status visibility across the app. The company is separately developing a dedicated Contacts hub that will display a full list of contacts who are currently online or recently active, with sorting options available by name or by online status. Contacts who have hidden their last seen or online status will not appear within that list, preserving the privacy controls users currently rely on. WhatsApp plans to apply the same green dot styling within that hub once it launches, making the current chat info screen rollout an early preview of the platform’s larger design direction for status visibility.
For now, the green dot indicator remains limited specifically to the chat info screen and is not yet visible within the chat list or inside an open conversation. WhatsApp has not announced an official timeline for a stable, public release of the feature, though the company is expected to expand the rollout to additional beta testers and further parts of the app over the coming weeks as testing continues.
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