WhatsApp status is a fun way to share photos, videos, and updates with your contacts. When you post a status, it displays to your contacts for 24 hours before disappearing. A neat WhatsApp feature is that you can view someone’s status anonymously so they won’t see that you viewed it. This allows you to check out status updates posted by your friends or family without them knowing you saw it. There are a few different methods you can use to view WhatsApp status incognito depending on if you’re using WhatsApp on your iPhone, Android, or WhatsApp Web.
Disable Read Receipts
The first step to view WhatsApp status anonymously is to disable read receipts in your WhatsApp settings. Read receipts show when a recipient has read your message. The same goes for status updates – if you view someone’s status, it will show them you viewed it if you have read receipts enabled.
To disable read receipts on iPhone:
1. Open WhatsApp and tap Settings.
2. Tap Account > Privacy.
3. Turn off Read Receipts.
To disable read receipts on Android:
1. Open WhatsApp and tap the 3 dot menu.
2. Go to Settings > Account > Privacy.
3. Turn off Read receipts.
Once you’ve turned off read receipts, you can view status updates without the sender being notified. However, this will also stop you from seeing read receipts from others.
Airplane Mode Trick
A handy trick to view WhatsApp status anonymously on both iPhone and Android is to use Airplane mode:
1. Open WhatsApp and go to the chat with the status you want to view.
2. Turn on Airplane mode on your phone to cut off your internet connection.
3. View the status update you want to see. Since you have no internet access, WhatsApp won’t be able to send a view receipt.
4. Once you’ve viewed the status, close WhatsApp and turn off Airplane mode to restore your connection.
The person won’t receive notification that you saw their status since WhatsApp was unable to send this information without an internet connection.
Restrict Data Usage
You can also restrict WhatsApp’s data usage to stop view receipts from being sent:
On iPhone:
1. Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options.
2. Find WhatsApp and toggle off Use Cellular Data.
On Android:
1. Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > WhatsApp > Mobile data & Wi-Fi > Uncheck Use mobile data.
2. Open WhatsApp and view status updates. Without mobile data, it can’t send a view receipt to the sender.
3. Re-enable mobile data for WhatsApp when you’re done.
View WhatsApp Web Status Anonymously
WhatsApp Web is another great way to view status incognito. WhatsApp Web will not send read receipts to others when you view status updates through the web browser on your computer.
To view status anonymously on WhatsApp Web:
1. Go to web.whatsapp.com and scan the QR code with your phone to link it.
2. In your browser, open the chat with the status you want to view.
3. Click on the contact’s profile picture and select View Status Updates.
4. View status updates and the sender won’t receive any notification that you viewed them.
Use WhatsApp Mods
There are modified or modded versions of WhatsApp like GBWhatsApp and WhatsApp Plus that have built-in privacy settings to disable read receipts and view statuses anonymously. However, these unofficial versions are not endorsed by WhatsApp and violate their terms of service. WhatsApp bans accounts using unauthorized mods, so use these at your own risk.
View Once Photo & Videos
WhatsApp has a View Once feature that lets you send photos or videos that disappear after being viewed once. If someone sends you a View Once photo/video on their status, there is no way to view it again anonymously if you have already opened it once. WhatsApp will notify the sender that you saw their View Once status media.
Your only options are to either open the View Once status and have the sender notified, or ignore it completely. Unlike normal status updates, there is no way to anonymously view View Once status media multiple times since it is designed to delete immediately after the first view.
Conclusion
Checking out WhatsApp status anonymously is easy to do by disabling read receipts, using Airplane mode, restricting mobile data, or viewing through WhatsApp Web. This allows you to discreetly view status updates posted by your contacts without triggering view receipts that notify the sender. Just be aware that some status media like View Once photos or videos can only be opened once before disappearing, so you only get one anonymous viewing. Be wise about who you choose to view anonymously to avoid misunderstandings.
| Method | Platform | Advantage | Disadvantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disable Read Receipts | iPhone, Android | Simple to enable | Also disables your read receipts |
| Airplane Mode | iPhone, Android | No app mods needed | Requires enabling/disabling airplane mode |
| Restrict Data Usage | iPhone, Android | Limits data just for WhatsApp | Setup can be tricky |
| WhatsApp Web | PC/Mac | Easy anonymous viewing | Requires desktop browser |
| GBWhatsApp/WhatsApp Plus | Android | Additional privacy features | Unofficial mod risks bans |