WhatsApp adds green‑dot online indicator and revamps chat notifications

WhatsApp is testing several user‑interface changes. In the beta version a small green dot now appears in contact details to show when a user is actively online, replacing the previous "Online" label. The company plans to extend the dot to the chat list and header, and to add a filter for sorting contacts by online status.

Archived chats are muted by default, so new messages generate no alerts. Users can enable notifications for archived chats through Settings → Chats → Archived chats, disabling the "mute" option.

WhatsApp also provides guidance on the blue double‑check receipts, showing that the timestamps displayed after a long‑press reveal when a message was delivered and read. Finally, a prototype home‑screen widget for Android is being tested to start voice‑message recording with a single tap, streamlining the send process.

These updates aim to give users more control over visibility and notification behavior while simplifying common actions.