The “My contacts except…” option on WhatsApp status allows you to choose specific contacts who will not be able to view your status updates. This can be useful if you want to post a status update but don’t want certain contacts in your list to see it.
When you post a new status update on WhatsApp, it is visible to all of your contacts by default. However, by tapping on “My contacts except…” you can select particular contacts to exclude from seeing that status update. Those contacts will not know that you have posted anything new.
This gives you more control over who can view your status updates. There may be certain contacts you don’t want seeing your personal or professional updates for whatever reason. The “My contacts except…” option makes it easy to exclude those specific people.
How to Use the “My Contacts Except…” Option
Using the “My contacts except…” option to exclude contacts from your status updates is simple:
- Open WhatsApp and tap on your profile picture in the top left corner.
- Tap on “Status” > “My status”.
- Create a new status update by tapping the camera icon to take a photo/video or tap the pencil icon to write something.
- Before sending the status update, tap on “My contacts except…” under the status text box.
- This will bring up your contacts list. Tap on the contacts you want to exclude from seeing this status update.
- The names of the excluded contacts will be listed under “My contacts except…”
- Tap “Done” and then hit “Send” or the check mark to post the status update.
The contacts you selected will not be able to see that particular status update. You can change the excluded contacts each time you post a new status.
Who Can Use the “My Contacts Except…” Option
The ability to exclude contacts from status updates using “My contacts except…” is available for all WhatsApp users. However, there are some caveats:
- You can only exclude contacts who already have your phone number saved in their address book. This option does not work for contacts who don’t have your number saved.
- The feature only excludes contacts from seeing your text, image, and video status updates. If you post a status using your location, it will be visible to all contacts.
- You cannot exclude contacts from seeing your profile photo and “about” information, which are visible to all contacts.
As long as the person you want to exclude already has your number saved, you can use “My contacts except…” to prevent them from seeing a particular status update. This gives you control over your audience.
Why Would You Want to Exclude Contacts?
There are a few reasons why someone may want to use the “My contacts except…” option for their WhatsApp status updates:
- Privacy – You may want to post a personal or private status update that you don’t want certain contacts seeing, like family members or coworkers.
- Avoid Conflict – You can avoid potential disagreements or complications by excluding contacts you’ve argued with in the past or have tense relationships with.
- Segment Audiences – Businesses may want to segment their status updates for different audiences like customers vs employees.
- Narrow Reach – You may want to post a niche status update meant for a smaller group of close friends rather than all contacts.
- Test New Feature – When testing out WhatsApp’s status feature for the first time, you may want to start by limiting your audience.
The ability to customize your status audience gives you more control over who can view your updates. The “My contacts except…” option helps you easily exclude specific contacts for any reason.
What Happens When You Exclude Contacts?
When you purposefully exclude contacts using the “My contacts except…” option, here is what happens:
- The excluded contacts will not see the status update in their WhatsApp status feed at all. It will be as if you never posted anything.
- They will not receive any notification that they have been excluded.
- If they visit your profile, they still will not see the status update that they were excluded from.
- They will be able to view your future status updates unless excluded again.
- You can add or remove contacts from the excluded list each time you post a new status.
Essentially, if a contact is excluded from a status, it will be completely hidden from their view. They will not know they have been excluded. You have full control over your audience for each status update.
Does Excluding Contacts Notify Them?
A key question many WhatsApp users have is whether excluded contacts will receive a notification letting them know they have been barred from seeing a status update.
The answer is no. WhatsApp does not send any sort of alert to contacts that get excluded from a status update by another user.
There are a few reasons why WhatsApp designed it this way:
- It respects user privacy and gives more control over status audiences.
- It avoids potential awkward situations where excluded contacts learn they have been excluded.
- It prevents contacts from feeling left out or offended at being excluded.
- It keeps the focus on sharing statuses with intended audiences rather than who is excluded.
In summary, contacts excluded using “My contacts except…” are not notified in any way. Your status simply does not appear in their feed and it is like you never posted it as far as they know. This preserves privacy for all users.
Can Excluded Contacts Tell They Have Been Excluded?
While excluded contacts do not receive notifications from WhatsApp that they have been barred from a status update, is it still possible for them to tell they have been excluded in some circumstances?
In certain situations, an excluded contact may be able to discern that they have been prevented from seeing someone’s status update:
- If the contact sees your status in a group chat but then does not see it in your profile, they may realize they have been excluded.
- If other mutual friends mention your status to the excluded contact either in conversation or their own status updates.
- If the contact notices their other friends have viewed or reacted to your status but they don’t have access.
- If your status is based on an event the excluded contact attended with you so knows should exist.
However, in most cases it is unlikely an excluded contact will know for certain they have been barred from seeing a status. Unless confirmed through outside means, they may just assume you have not posted anything new.
Pros and Cons of Excluding Contacts
There are both advantages and disadvantages to using the “My contacts except…” option when posting WhatsApp statuses:
Pros
- More control over privacy and who views your updates
- Avoid tensions or complications with specific contacts
- Customize audiences for different types of updates
- Prevent irrelevant or uninterested contacts from seeing
- Exclude contacts without them knowing or feeling excluded
Cons
- Extra steps to exclude contacts each time you post a status
- Chance excluded contacts may find out from other means
- Unable to prevent contacts from seeing profile photo and “about” info
- Only works for contacts who already have your number saved
- Does not exclude contacts from location-based statuses
Overall, the pros of having more control over your status audience generally outweigh the cons. But it is important to be aware of the limitations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about using the “My contacts except…” option for WhatsApp statuses:
Can I exclude contacts without them knowing?
Yes, WhatsApp will not notify contacts that they have been excluded from seeing your status update. The status will simply be hidden from their feed.
Do I have to exclude contacts each time I post a status?
Yes, you need to reconfigure the “My contacts except…” list every time you create a new status update if you want to exclude the same contacts.
What if an excluded contact sees my status elsewhere?
Even if an excluded contact learns about your status another way, they still will not be able to view it in your profile. The exclusion prevents viewing there.
Can I exclude contacts who don’t have my number?
No, you can only exclude existing contacts who already have your phone number saved in their address book on WhatsApp.
Can I exclude someone who has my number blocked?
No, you cannot exclude someone who has already blocked you on WhatsApp. They’ve already prevented seeing your statuses.
Conclusion
The “My contacts except…” option for WhatsApp status updates gives you more control over your status audience. By excluding specific contacts, you can customize who can view particular updates without notifying excluded contacts. While there are some limitations, overall this feature helps enhance privacy and enables you to avoid sharing statuses with unintended audiences. With the power to precisely choose your status viewers, you can feel more comfortable posting updates using WhatsApp’s status feature.