WhatsApp’s status feature allows you to share photos, videos, and messages that disappear after 24 hours.
By default, when you view someone’s status, they can see that you viewed it.
If you want to view someone’s status privately without them knowing, there are a few different methods you can use on Android.
Use Airplane Mode
The easiest way to view someone’s status without them knowing is to put your phone on Airplane Mode before opening WhatsApp.
Here’s how to do it:
- Open your Android’s Settings app and go to Network & Internet > Airplane mode. Toggle it on.
- Open WhatsApp and tap on the contact whose status you want to view privately.
- You can view their status updates and they won’t show as seen.
- When you’re done, go back to Settings and turn Airplane Mode off.
This works because turning on Airplane Mode cuts off your internet connection temporarily.
WhatsApp won’t be able to send the view receipt to their servers, so the contact won’t know you saw their status.
Use WhatsApp Web
Another way to privately view someone’s status is by using WhatsApp Web.
Here’s how:
- Open WhatsApp Web on your computer browser and scan the QR code to link it to your phone.
- On your computer, click on the contact whose status you want to view.
- Their status will open and they won’t get a view receipt.
This method works because WhatsApp Web does not send read receipts.
So when you view a status on desktop, it remains unseen on their phone.
Disable Read Receipts
You can also stop sending read receipts for status updates entirely. Here are the steps:
- Open WhatsApp Settings.
- Tap Account > Privacy.
- Toggle off Read Receipts.
This will disable read receipts for status updates, group messages, and personal chats. You can view status privately but others won’t know when you’ve read their messages either.
Use a Third-Party App
Some third party apps like Flychat and WA Tweaker allow viewing WhatsApp status anonymously. Here’s how to use them:
- Download and install the app – Flychat is available on Google Play.
- Open the app and tap WhatsApp Status.
- It will show all your contacts’ status updates.
- Tap one to view it – they will not get a view receipt.
These apps work by directly accessing WhatsApp’s local database on your phone to read status data. So WhatsApp’s servers don’t record your views.
Use Notification Previews
If you have WhatsApp notifications enabled, you can sneak a preview of someone’s status from the notification shade. Here’s how:
- Pull down the notification shade on your Android phone.
- You’ll see a preview of your contacts’ status updates.
- Tap and hold on one to expand it. You’ll see their status photo/video.
- Let go and the status will close without sending a view receipt.
This gives you a quick sneak peek at their status. But you only get a small preview instead of the full status content.
Use WhatsApp Mods
There are some modded or tweaked versions of WhatsApp like GBWhatsApp and WhatsApp Plus that have built-in status privacy options.
You can install them instead of official WhatsApp.
However, these mods are not endorsed by WhatsApp and violate their terms. Your account could get banned for using third-party mods. Only download them from trustworthy sources at your own risk.
Disable Status Completely
If you don’t want anyone to know when you’ve viewed their status, you can disable status updates entirely in WhatsApp. Here are the steps:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Account.
- Tap on Privacy.
- Toggle off Status.
This will disable status for your account. You won’t be able to view other people’s status and they won’t be able to see yours. But your online privacy will be enhanced.
Hide Your Online Status
In addition to hiding status views, you can also hide your online status in WhatsApp for extra privacy:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy.
- Tap Last Seen and toggle it to “Nobody.”
This will stop your contacts from seeing when you were last online in WhatsApp. They also won’t get online and typing indicators from you.
Other issues
Does deleting messages prevent status view receipts?
No, deleting your messages does not affect status view receipts. Your contacts get the view receipt as soon as you open their status, regardless of deleting chats.
Can I hide my status views from specific contacts?
There is no native WhatsApp option to hide status reads from individual contacts. You can either hide it from everyone or no one.
Can I see someone’s status if they blocked me?
No, if someone blocks you on WhatsApp, you won’t be able to view their profile picture, status, or send them messages.
Can I get banned for hiding status views?
No, there is no risk of getting banned just for hiding your status views. WhatsApp has no way to detect who views your status anonymously.
Will airplane mode trick work on iPhone?
Yes, enabling airplane mode before viewing status will also prevent view receipts on iPhone. It works the same way by cutting off internet access.
Viewing WhatsApp status privately is easy on Android.
The simplest options are using Airplane Mode or WhatsApp Web to block view receipts.
You can also disable read receipts entirely for greater privacy. While modded apps work, they risk account bans. Ultimately, you have full control over who can see your online activities in WhatsApp.
