If your WhatsApp status is not showing to your contacts, there are a few potential reasons why this could be happening. The most common causes are that you have enabled privacy settings to hide your status from certain contacts, your contacts have muted your status updates, or there is an issue with your internet connection preventing your status from uploading properly.
You have enabled status privacy settings
The most likely reason your status is not showing to some or all of your contacts is that you have configured your WhatsApp privacy settings to hide your status from certain people. WhatsApp allows you to choose exactly who can view your status updates – you can make your status visible to everyone, just your contacts, or specific contacts only.
To check your status privacy settings on WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp and tap the 3 dot menu in the top right
- Go to Settings > Account > Privacy
- Tap ‘Status’ and select who can see your status updates (Everyone, My Contacts, My Contacts Except…)
If ‘My Contacts Except…’ is selected, then your status will be hidden from the contacts you have excluded. To make your status visible to someone again, remove them from the exceptions list.
Your contacts have muted your status updates
Another possibility is that your contacts have muted your status updates specifically. Even if your status privacy is set to be visible to all contacts, individual contacts can mute your status so your updates no longer show for them.
When someone mutes your status, you won’t be notified or informed in any way. The only way to know is if your contacts tell you directly that they’ve muted you.
To mute someone’s status on WhatsApp:
- Open your chat with the contact
- Tap the contact’s name at the top to open their contact info
- Tap ‘Mute’ > ‘Mute Status’
If you think someone may have muted your status, ask them directly or check if you’ve muted their status – chances are they’ve muted yours as well.
Your internet connection is preventing status uploads
Statuses not showing for your contacts could also indicate an issue with your internet connection rather than a problem with WhatsApp settings.
To post a status update, WhatsApp needs to be able to connect to the internet to upload your status photo, video or text. Poor internet connectivity can disrupt this process and prevent your status from being shared.
Try checking the following:
- Your internet connection – Make sure you have an active internet data or WiFi connection.
- Internet speed – Check if your connection is slow or intermittent which could interrupt the status upload.
- VPN app – Some VPN apps can interfere with WhatsApp’s ability to connect to the internet.
- Aeroplane mode – Check you don’t have aeroplane mode enabled which disables all connections.
If you have an internet connection issue, try disconnecting and reconnecting, turning aeroplane mode on and off, disabling your VPN app, or moving to an area with better signal. This may allow your status update to go through.
Your WhatsApp account is banned or restricted
In some rare cases, your WhatsApp account can be banned or limited from posting status updates if you have violated WhatsApp’s terms of service.
This usually only occurs if you have been reported by other users for posting abusive, offensive or illegal content in your statuses. WhatsApp moderators may then restrict your account.
You’ll receive a notification from WhatsApp if your account is ever banned or limited. The notification will specify if you are prohibited from posting statuses and media, and for how long the restriction applies.
To lift the restriction, you’ll need to contact WhatsApp directly and appeal the ban. Explain to them why you believe the restriction was unjustified.
Your WhatsApp version is out of date
Using an outdated version of WhatsApp can also cause issues sharing your status. WhatsApp regularly releases new updates with bug fixes and improvements to status posting.
Not running the latest version means you may encounter bugs or limitations that prevent your status appearing.
To check for updates on WhatsApp:
- Open the App Store / Play Store on your device
- Search for ‘WhatsApp’ and select the WhatsApp entry
- If an ‘Update’ button is shown, tap it to update to the latest version
Updating to the newest version of WhatsApp can help resolve any bugs that may be affecting your ability to post a status.
Your phone lacks storage space
Statuses on WhatsApp often include photos or videos. If your phone is low on storage space it may prevent WhatsApp from saving and uploading new status media.
Try checking your phone’s storage in the Settings app and delete any apps, files, photos or videos you don’t need to free up space.
WhatsApp also stores old statuses which could be taking up space. Open WhatsApp Settings > Data and Storage Usage, then tap DELETE NEXT TO Status to remove old statuses.
Freeing up storage space can allow WhatsApp to once again save and upload status photos and videos.
Your phone lacks memory/RAM
As well as storage space for saving files, your phone needs sufficient memory (RAM) to actually run apps like WhatsApp.
If your phone is low on memory with many apps running in the background, WhatsApp may struggle or crash when trying to post a status.
Try clearing other apps from your phone’s memory and limiting how many are running in the background before opening WhatsApp to share a status.
On Android you can also enable ‘No background data’ for apps you don’t need running constantly. On iPhone, make sure you don’t have too many apps refreshing content in the background.
Giving WhatsApp as much available memory as possible prevents the app crashing before your status can upload.
Do a WhatsApp troubleshooting reset
If none of the above fixes your issue with posting statuses, try resetting the WhatsApp app on your phone to troubleshoot the problem.
Resetting will clear any corrupted app files or settings that could be preventing your status from uploading correctly.
On iPhone, uninstall WhatsApp then reinstall it from the App Store. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Storage > Clear Data. This will reset WhatsApp without deleting your chats.
With WhatsApp reset, try uploading a status again. In most cases this will resolve any WhatsApp issues that were preventing your status from appearing.
Contact WhatsApp support
For any other issues with your status not showing after trying the steps here, you can contact WhatsApp directly for support:
- Open WhatsApp > Settings > Help > Contact Us
- Explain your issue with statuses not showing
- The WhatsApp support team can then investigate and resolve the problem
WhatsApp will be able to look into any account issues, connectivity problems or glitches that may be affecting your ability to post a status update.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can some contacts see my WhatsApp status but not others?
If some contacts can view your status but others can’t, it likely means you have configured your privacy settings to hide your status from specific people. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy > Status Privacy and check which contacts are being excluded.
Can contacts see if I mute their WhatsApp status?
No, when you mute someone’s status updates in WhatsApp, they are not notified or made aware in any way. The only way someone will know you’ve muted them is if you tell them directly.
Should I delete old statuses to save space?
Yes, regularly clearing out old WhatsApp statuses can help free up storage space on your phone for new status uploads. Go to Settings > Data and Storage Usage > Status to delete old statuses.
Can poor signal cause WhatsApp status not to upload?
Yes, an intermittent or slow internet connection can definitely disrupt the uploading of WhatsApp status media. Make sure you have a strong WiFi or mobile data signal before posting a status update.
How do I know if my WhatsApp account is banned?
If your account has been banned from posting statuses or using WhatsApp entirely, you’ll receive a notification from WhatsApp advising you of the restriction. You’ll then need to contact WhatsApp support to appeal the ban.
Should I reset WhatsApp to fix status issues?
Yes, resetting or reinstalling WhatsApp is recommended if you’re having issues posting statuses and other troubleshooting steps don’t help. Resetting will clear any corrupted files or cached data that could be causing problems.
Who can help if my status is still not working?
If you still can’t share your status after trying all suggested steps, you should contact WhatsApp directly through the in-app support channel. Their technical support team will be able to further investigate and resolve any ongoing issues.
Summary
Having trouble posting your WhatsApp status? Issues like privacy settings, muted contacts, connectivity problems, banned accounts, outdated apps, low storage and memory, or bugs can all prevent your status showing properly. Follow the troubleshooting steps outlined here to get your status working again. If problems persist, reset WhatsApp or contact their support team for help resolving any ongoing status issues.