WhatsApp has been working for a while on its mentions feature, which works similarly to tagging your friends on Facebook and Instagram posts. The feature was supposed to arrive alongside usernames. But the latest WhatsApp beta brings the status mentions feature earlier than expected.
As per WABetaInfo, the latest WhatsApp Beta version 2.24.20.3 for Android lets you mention contacts in status updates. However, it works differently than other platforms. When you mention someone, only they will get a notification and a message in chat. Other contacts who view your status won’t know who was tagged, allowing you to secretly mention your special someone without letting others know.
How to Mention Someone in Your WhatsApp Status
Our Editor-in-Chief, Anmol, was lucky enough to get this feature so we can show you an early look at how this feature works, and how you can mention someone in WhatsApp when the feature arrives on your device.
- Go to the Updates page, tap on the camera icon, and take a photo or select one from your gallery.
- Then, tap on the @ icon in the text area.
- Search and select the contact whom you want to mention.
- Tap on the checkmark to confirm the selection and share your status.
Now, only you will be able to see whom you have mentioned in a status. To check whom you have mentioned on your WhatsApp Status, tap on the 3-dots icon at the top right and select View mentions.
At the time of writing, WhatsApp only allows you to mention 5 people at max.
What Happens When Someone Mentions You on Their Status?
You will receive a notification saying you were mentioned privately in someone’s WhatsApp status. A private message will be sent to you in the chat thread with this person to let you know the same. Upon viewing the status, you should see a “Mentioned Privately” banner at the top, just below the name of the person who shared the status.
This status will only be visible to those who were mentioned. They won’t be able to see the other mentioned contacts either. When someone mentions you in their WhatsApp Status privately, you can edit and reshare their status to your own audience of choice. When you reshare, WhatsApp won’t reveal the name, phone number, or any other info of the person who mentioned you to your audience.
One thing to note is that any WhatsApp user may be able to mention you in their status. So even people outside your contacts list can secretly mention you. The app currently doesn’t offer a toggle to disable this. The only way to avoid being mentioned by someone is to block them or archive/mute their chat on WhatsApp.
The status feature is already pretty popular among those who use the app regularly. So, a private way to mention someone will bring a big change to how people interact with status on the app. It can help grow more meaningful conversations and connections between people. I know a lot of my friends who would love to use this feature. However, it is still in beta but given its current state, I think it should be arriving on our devices pretty soon.
What do you think about mentions in WhatsApp? How would you use it? Tell us in the comments section below.
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