WhatsApp is testing a small green dot on iPhone that signals when a contact is currently online. The feature is part of a beta rollout and is designed to make active status easier to notice at a glance.
The indicator appears in the lower-right corner of a contact’s profile photo inside Contact Info. It disappears automatically when the person is no longer online, reflecting the status in real time.
What the new indicator changes
For beta users, the update offers a quicker way to check whether someone is active without opening deeper chat details. The design is intentionally subtle, and at this stage it is limited to the Contact Info page rather than the full app interface.
The green dot has not yet reached the chat list or the Chats tab. That means users still need to open a contact profile if they want to see the status indicator, even though a placement in the chat list would be more practical.
| Feature | Current Status | Where It Appears |
|---|---|---|
| Green dot online indicator | Beta testing | Contact Info page |
| Chat list visibility | Not available | Chats tab |
Privacy rules still apply
WhatsApp is keeping the same privacy restrictions used for Last Seen and Online status. If a user hides their last seen and online status from others, the green dot will not appear.
That approach shows the feature is not meant to bypass existing privacy settings. Instead, it follows the visibility preferences already chosen by each user inside WhatsApp.
Limited to beta testers for now
According to WABetaInfo, the feature is available only to some WhatsApp beta users on Android and iOS. There is no official timeline yet for a wider release from Meta.
That means the green dot is still in testing and evaluation, with its final placement and broader availability yet to be decided. If the response is positive, it could become a small but useful addition for checking online activity directly from a contact’s info screen.
