WhatsApp tests green‑dot indicator to show contacts’ online status

WhatsApp is piloting a visual green‑dot indicator that appears beside a contact’s profile picture when the person is active in the app. The feature replaces the textual “online” label and is currently visible only on the contact‑info screen, not in the main chat list. Tests are being run in beta versions for iOS (build 26.26.10.72) after an earlier Android beta rollout, and are limited to a small group of users in several regions. The indicator respects existing privacy settings – it is shown only to contacts who have permitted the “last seen” or “online” status to be visible. No new privacy controls are introduced. Meta’s other platforms already use a similar green dot, and the company plans a broader contact‑hub where online users can be identified more easily, but the rollout timeline remains unspecified.