WhatsApp: New hub for online status Apfelpatient

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WhatsApp is testing a new overview that displays all online-active contacts in one place. Instead of having to open each chat individually, iPhone users will soon be able to see in a central area who is currently available or was last online – with the usual privacy rules in place.

Hints of the new feature have surfaced in the current WhatsApp beta for iOS and were discovered by WABetaInfo. The planned overview is part of a series of beta updates that WhatsApp has been preparing in parallel over the past few months – including the planned automatic message translation directly within the chat. The contacts hub implements a feature that iPhone users have long considered overdue.

What the new contacts hub can do

Currently, users have to open each chat individually to see if a contact is online – this information is displayed at the top of the conversation. The planned hub will consolidate this information in one central location. Three categories will be visible: favorite contacts at the top, followed by those currently online, and finally, those who have recently been online.

The section can be accessed via the settings. WhatsApp has deliberately positioned this function not prominently in the main navigation, but as an optional overview for users who want to access it specifically.

The data protection logic remains in place

The feature follows the same visibility rules as the previous online status indicator. If you hide your online status from others, you also won't be able to see who in your contact list is currently online. This reciprocity remains – the new hub doesn't change the privacy options; it simply makes the existing information more clearly organized.

For users with an active online status, this eliminates the need to repeatedly switch between individual chats. Those who hide their status will see a virtually empty hub, but retain full privacy.

This feature is not yet enabled for beta testers

Even in the current beta, the Contacts Hub is not activated for regular testers. WABetaInfo managed to activate the feature experimentally and provide screenshots – this suggests that the code foundation is in place, but the widespread rollout is still pending. WhatsApp is known for its cautious release plans, where features often go months between beta code and actual availability.

Therefore, there is no concrete release date. The Liquid Glass rollout on iOS also dragged on for many months after initial beta indications before the feature was widely distributed.

Inclusion in WhatsApp's current feature wave

The Contacts Hub fits into a phase where WhatsApp is preparing several parallel enhancements. In addition to automatic translation, the service is experimenting with stricter security settings for compromised accounts and has been gradually rolling out the new iOS design in recent weeks. This reveals a strategy that blends minor usability improvements with more significant data privacy initiatives.

For everyday iPhone use, the new overview would be a small but noticeable simplification. Those who regularly communicate with the same people will no longer have to tap on individual chats to check availability. The feature complements what many messaging apps already display by default – only now it adheres to WhatsApp's own privacy policy.

Comfort update with a test of patience

When the Contacts Hub will be officially released remains unclear. The fact that the feature is present in the code but not yet active suggests further beta phases. iPhone users who are waiting for a more centralized online overview will have the opportunity to observe the first visible hints in the TestFlight versions in the coming weeks – until WhatsApp officially releases the feature. (Image: Shutterstock / Vector-Hub)