WhatsApp Status Alerts for Favorite Contacts: New Feature Coming Soon

Imagine never missing a birthday, travel reveal, or milestone moment shared by your closest friends on WhatsApp. The Meta-owned platform is testing a groundbreaking feature that will notify users when specific contacts post status updates, according to recent reports from Techlusive (August 1, 2025). This “status alert” system—currently in development—addresses a long-standing user frustration: the ephemeral, easy-to-miss nature of WhatsApp’s 24-hour status posts.

How WhatsApp Status Alerts Will Work

The upcoming functionality will let users designate frequent or favorite contacts for priority notifications. When enabled, you’ll receive instant push alerts—similar to message notifications—when selected contacts share text, photo, or video updates. Unlike Instagram or Facebook Stories, WhatsApp currently provides no proactive alerts for status views, forcing users to manually check the Status tab.

Techlusive sources indicate the setup will be opt-in and accessible via:

1. A new “Notify Me” toggle on contact info screens
2. Long-press options on status previews
3. Automated suggestions for frequent chats

Meta engineers are refining machine-learning algorithms to suggest contacts based on your interaction history while ensuring privacy controls. Users can override suggestions and customize their alert list freely. Crucially, contacts won’t be notified if you mark them for alerts, maintaining user discretion. Industry analysts note this bridges a critical gap in WhatsApp’s UX—particularly for business accounts needing real-time updates from clients or teams.

Why This Feature Matters for Users

With over 2.7 billion monthly active users (Meta Q1 2025 Investor Report), WhatsApp’s status feature sees more daily shares than Twitter posts globally. Yet Pew Research Center’s 2024 survey revealed 67% of users missed important updates due to notification overload or algorithmic burying. The new alerts solve this by:

• Prioritizing human connections over algorithms
• Reducing “status fatigue” from irrelevant updates
• Enabling timely interactions for events like emergencies

Digital wellbeing experts like Dr. Priya Kumar (University of Maryland Human-Computer Interaction Lab) caution: “While useful, users should set boundaries. Turn off alerts during focused work hours to avoid fragmentation.” Meta confirms users will control notification schedules and vibration patterns.

For businesses, this could revolutionize customer outreach. A Mumbai-based bakery owner, Riya Mehta, shared: “I lose sales when customers miss our daily specials on status. This would help us serve them better.” The feature is expected to enter beta testing in India and Brazil by late 2025 before global rollout.

Must Know

How will status alerts appear on my phone?
You’ll receive discreet push notifications saying “[Contact Name] posted a status.” Tapping it opens their update instantly, even if you’re not in the app. No special badges or sounds are planned beyond standard notifications.

Can I select group statuses for alerts?
Early builds focus on individual contacts only. WhatsApp may expand this to group statuses if user demand surges post-launch. Group admins currently can’t notify members about new statuses.

Will this drain my battery or data?
No. Alerts use minimal data—like regular notifications. Battery impact is negligible since they leverage existing background processes.

Can I use this on WhatsApp Web?
Desktop alerts are planned but won’t launch with the mobile feature. Expect web/desktop support by mid-2026.

Are status alerts coming to WhatsApp Business?
Yes. Business accounts will get enhanced tools to notify customers about promotions or order updates via status alerts.

How many contacts can I mark for alerts?
No fixed limit exists yet, but WhatsApp may cap it at 20-30 contacts to prevent notification overload.

WhatsApp’s status alerts transform passive scrolling into intentional connection—finally letting you prioritize people over algorithms. As ephemeral sharing dominates digital communication, this update empowers users to curate their attention meaningfully. For the latest feature updates, enable automatic app updates in your device settings.