How do you reply to a status on whatsapp?

Replying to a status on WhatsApp is easy and allows you to directly communicate with someone who has shared a status update. Here’s a quick 60-word overview on how to do it: To reply to a WhatsApp status, open the app, tap on the profile picture of the person who shared the status you want to reply to, then swipe up on their status to reveal the reply icon. Tap this icon, type your message in the text field, and hit send to privately respond to that person’s status.

Understanding WhatsApp status updates

WhatsApp status updates allow users to share photos, videos, and text in a slideshow format that disappears after 24 hours. Status updates are different from standard WhatsApp messages in a few key ways:

They are broadcast publicly to all your WhatsApp contacts, while messages are private one-on-one or group conversations.

Only the person who posted a status can see who has viewed it, while messages show read receipts to everyone in the chat.
You can only reply privately to statuses, not publicly comment on them.

These ephemeral status updates are similar to stories on other social media platforms. They offer a way to share moments and updates without cluttering up inboxes.

How to view WhatsApp status updates

To see the latest statuses from your WhatsApp contacts:

Open the WhatsApp app on your phone.
Tap on the “Status” tab at the top of the screen, next to the Calls and Chats tabs.

You will see a list of your contacts who have recently shared a status update.
Tap on any contact profile picture to view their status.

The status will display for a few seconds before automatically moving on to the next status in queue. You can tap and hold on a status to pause it from advancing and view it for as long as you want.

How to reply to a WhatsApp status

Replying privately to a status is a quick and easy way to respond to a contact’s update. Here are the steps:

Open WhatsApp and tap on the profile picture of the contact whose status you want to reply to.
View their status update by tapping on their profile picture in the status viewer.

After their status ends, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to reveal the reply icon.
Tap the reply icon, type your message in the text field, and hit the send arrow.

Your message will be delivered privately to that contact as a private WhatsApp chat message. They will receive a notification that you replied to their status update.

Replying by voice message

Along with text, you can also reply to a WhatsApp status with a voice message. To do this:

Follow steps 1-3 above to view the status and access the reply screen.
On the reply screen, tap and hold the microphone icon and record your voice message.

Release your finger when finished to send the voice reply.

Replying with emojis

If a status deserves a quick reaction, tap on the emoji icon in the reply bar and select the emoji(s) you want to send as a response. This is a fast way to acknowledge a status without typing out a message.

Private replies vs. public comments

It’s important to note that you can only reply privately to someone’s WhatsApp status, not comment publicly or visibly like you can on posts in other social media apps. Your reply will be sent as a private WhatsApp chat message that only you and the original status poster can see.

WhatsApp does not allow public comments on status updates to protect privacy and prevent unwanted interactions. So if you want to respond to a status in a way that’s visible to all of that person’s WhatsApp contacts, you’ll have to do so in another communication channel outside of WhatsApp.

Who can see your status replies

When you reply to a WhatsApp status update, your reply is visible only to you and the person who originally posted the status. No one else will be able to see that you replied.

However, here are some important things to keep in mind about status reply privacy:

If you reply to a status that was sent to a WhatsApp group, your reply will only be seen by you and the original poster, not everyone in the group.
If you have blocked someone, you will not be able to view or reply to their status updates.
If someone has blocked you, they will not see your status replies to them.

Replying to a status does not notify the group if the status was shared to a group.

So while status replies are private, be thoughtful about responding if the status was originally sent out to multiple people or groups. The reply will still just be visible to the poster, so keep that context in mind.

Status reply limitations

There are a few limitations to be aware of with regards to replying to WhatsApp status updates:

You can only reply with text, voice messages, or emojis – you cannot reply with photos or videos.
You cannot react to status replies – the conversation ends after your initial response.
If you delete a status after someone replies, it will delete the reply as well.

Replying to status does not notify the group if the status was shared to a group.
You cannot reply to status updates from business accounts.

Overall, status replies are designed for private, one-on-one responses, rather than public conversations. Keep these limitations in mind as you craft your replies.

Tips for replying to WhatsApp statuses

Here are some tips to keep in mind when sending status replies on WhatsApp:

Be thoughtful – Don’t just reply for the sake of responding. Make sure your replies are meaningful, relevant, and add value for the original status poster.
Add context – If referencing something specific from their status, quote or mention it in your reply to provide helpful context.

Ask questions – If you want to keep the conversation going, pose a follow-up question in your response to prompt further discussion.
Use emojis – Emojis are a fun way to react to statuses, just don’t overdo it.
Avoid private information – Be careful not to reveal anything too personal or private if their status was sent to multiple people or groups.

Stay on topic – Don’t use status replies to bring up completely unrelated topics or switch subjects.

Following these best practices will ensure you use WhatsApp status replies appropriately to have meaningful conversations.

Troubleshooting status replies

If you are having issues replying to WhatsApp statuses, here are some troubleshooting tips:

Make sure you have the latest version of WhatsApp installed.
Force quit and relaunch the WhatsApp app if replies are not working.
Check your internet connection and verify you are connected.

Restart your phone if you still cannot access status replies.
Clear cached data and storage for WhatsApp in your phone’s app settings.
Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp as a last resort if others steps don’t resolve your issue.

Following these troubleshooting steps should help get status replies working again if you are experiencing any problems sending responses.

Status replies and privacy

While status replies are private one-on-one conversations, it’s still a good idea to be careful and selective about how you respond:

Avoid saying anything too personal, embarrassing, or inappropriate given the broader context.

Keep in mind that a seemingly private status reply could be screenshotted or shared by the recipient.
If you regret a status reply after sending, you can unsend it which will delete the message if done quickly.
Make liberal use of blocking contacts if you are receiving unwanted status replies.

Report abuse or harassment in status replies to WhatsApp.

Following basic privacy best practices helps ensure status replies don’t lead to any unwanted situations. Only share information you are comfortable being potentially public.

Status replies etiquette

To use WhatsApp status replies appropriately and effectively:

Don’t overreply – not every status needs or deserves a response.
Keep replies relevant and thoughtful, don’t just respond for the sake of it.
Respect people’s privacy and don’t ask overly personal questions.

Gauge tone and reciprocation before launching into a long conversation.
Let a status reply conversation end naturally instead of ghosting abruptly.
If someone doesn’t respond to your status reply, don’t keep messaging them repeatedly.

Don’t share or screenshot someone’s status reply without their consent.

Remember, you’re responding privately to content that was likely shared more broadly. Follow basic etiquette rules and don’t make assumptions about privacy expectations.

Status replies vs regular messaging

While status replies have similarities with normal WhatsApp messaging, there are some key differences:

Status replies are ephemeral, regular messages are saved in your chat history.
You can only respond once to a status, but have ongoing chats via messaging.
Messaging shows read receipts and last seen status, status replies do not.

You get notifications when messaged, but status replies only alert the status poster.
Status replies cannot include media, but messaging allows photos, videos, etc.

In general, treat status replies more like short-form, ephemeral conversations, and use regular WhatsApp messaging for more in-depth, private, back-and-forth chats with visual content.

Status replies on iPhone vs Android

Replying to WhatsApp statuses works the same way on both iPhone and Android:

On iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the status viewer to access replies.
On Android, swipe down from the top of the status viewer to access replies.

Tap the reply icon, type your text, and hit send on both platforms.
Voice messages and emojis work identically on iPhone and Android as well.

The only difference is the gesture to reveal the reply box. Otherwise, the status reply process mirrors across operating systems.

Business account status replies

WhatsApp has disabled the ability to reply to status updates from official business accounts. So if a business shares a status, you will not see the option to respond directly.

This is likely intended to prevent spammy conversations and interactions. To contact a business, you’ll need to message them directly through their chat window instead.

While you can no longer reply to business statuses, you can still view and react to them normally. Just direct any further conversation to the business’ standard messaging window.

Conclusion

Replying privately to WhatsApp status updates allows you to have one-on-one conversations sparked by those ephemeral sharing moments. By opening the status, swiping to access the reply screen, and typing out your message, you can communicate directly and privately with a status poster.

Make sure to use status replies thoughtfully and appropriately. Keep conversations relevant, avoid oversharing personal details if the status is public, and don’t bombard people with responses. Follow basic etiquette and privacy best practices to ensure status replies are used helpfully, not disruptively.