The WhatsApp status feature allows users to share text, photos, videos and GIFs that disappear after 24 hours. Checking someone’s WhatsApp status simply means viewing the status update they have posted. There are a few different ways to check someone’s status on WhatsApp.
Ways to Check WhatsApp Status
1. View Status Updates in Chat
The easiest way to check someone’s WhatsApp status is directly from your chat with them. When a contact posts a status update, you will see their profile photo circled in the chat header. Tapping on their profile photo will open their status. You can then swipe or tap through their status updates like a slideshow.
2. View All Recent Updates
You can also view recent status updates from all your contacts in one place. Open WhatsApp and tap on the “Status” tab at the top of the chats page. Here you will see the profile pictures of everyone who has posted a status update in the last 24 hours. Tapping on any profile picture will open that contact’s status.
3. Open from Notifications
Whenever someone posts a new WhatsApp status, you will get a notification for it. The notification will show the contact’s name and a preview of their status. You can tap on the notification to open and view the full status update.
View WhatsApp Status Anonymously
By default, WhatsApp shows when you have viewed someone’s status update. Your profile picture will appear below their status with the label “Seen by.” If you want to view a status anonymously, there are a few workarounds:
- Turn off Read Receipts – In WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy, turn off “Read Receipts.” This will prevent your contacts from seeing when you’ve read their messages, but it also prevents them from seeing when you view their status.
- Airplane Mode – Put your phone on airplane mode before viewing a status. Then close and reopen WhatsApp. The status will show as not seen.
- Unlock Using Fingerprint/Face ID – Set up biometric unlock on your phone. Unlock WhatsApp using fingerprint/face recognition rather than passcode to view statuses anonymously.
Status Privacy and Settings
There are a few status privacy settings and options you should know about in WhatsApp:
- My Contacts Except – Your status is visible to all your contacts by default. You can exclude specific contacts in Settings > Account > Privacy > Status.
- Only Share With – Alternatively, you can set your status to only be visible to certain contacts you select.
- Profile Photos – You can choose whether or not to show profile photos of your contacts in the status tab. Disable this in Settings > Account.
- Keep Status – If you want your status to stay visible for longer than 24 hours, you can change the expiration in Settings > Account.
Status Not Showing?
If you can’t see someone’s status updates, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Check your internet connection
- Force close and reopen WhatsApp
- Update WhatsApp to the latest version
- Clear cache and data for WhatsApp
- Make sure the contact hasn’t excluded you
- Verify your clock/date settings are correct
View Deleted Statuses
WhatsApp does not have an official way to recover deleted status updates. However, there are some third party apps that can potentially retrieve deleted statuses:
- WhatsRemoved+ – Android app that must be set up before a status is posted in order to retrieve it if deleted.
- WAMR – iPhone app that can recover deleted WA statuses and messages from iCloud backup.
- iMazing – Desktop software that can extract and save iPhone backups containing deleted statuses.
But note these unofficial methods do not always work reliably. The best way to save a status you want to keep is to screenshot it or record your screen when viewing it.
Status Character Limit
Text statuses on WhatsApp have a limit of 139 characters. If you type more than that, you will get an error when trying to post your status update.
For media statuses, the limits are:
- Photos – Up to 90 photos can be added
- Videos – Up to 30 second videos are allowed
Status Views and Reactions
Unlike Instagram and other social media, WhatsApp does not show view counts or reactions on statuses. You cannot see how many people viewed your status or react to statuses with emojis.
The only way to see who has viewed your status is the list of profile pictures that appears below your status. There is no view counter.
Status Replying
WhatsApp doesn’t currently allow you to reply to someone’s status directly. However, you can reply in a few indirect ways:
- Screenshot the status, then send the screenshot to the person with your reply.
- Mention the status in your existing chat with the person.
- Quote reply to the status in a group chat you share with that contact.
While not as convenient as a native reply feature, these workarounds let you respond to a status on WhatsApp.
Conclusion
Checking WhatsApp status is easy – just tap on your contacts’ profile pictures whenever you see the status ring. You can view status anonymously, control your privacy settings, and troubleshoot issues if needed. While WhatsApp status lacks some features like replies and reactions, it is still a fun and popular way to share quick photo and video updates.