WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging platforms, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the key features of WhatsApp is voice and video calling, allowing users to easily connect with friends and family. However, many wonder – does WhatsApp show you as online if you’re on a call? Let’s take a closer look at how WhatsApp call status works.
How WhatsApp Statuses Work
WhatsApp has several statuses that show your availability and activity on the platform: online, offline, and last seen. Here’s a quick overview of what each status means:
- Online – indicates you are actively using WhatsApp at that moment
- Offline – shows you are not currently using the app
- Last Seen – displays the last time you were actively on WhatsApp
By default, your contacts can see your Last Seen and online status. You can change your settings to limit who sees these statuses in your privacy settings.
Does WhatsApp Show You Online During Calls?
When you make or receive a WhatsApp call, the app will display your status as online to your contacts. This lets your contacts see that you are on a call in real-time.
There are a few key points about how WhatsApp displays your online status during calls:
- Your status will immediately switch to online as soon as the call starts, whether you make or receive the call.
- You remain online for the entire duration of the call, even if you put the call on hold or multitask within WhatsApp.
- Once the call ends, your online status will remain for a few minutes before switching to last seen.
- Both individual and group voice/video calls will show your status as online.
So in summary – yes, WhatsApp does display your status as online to all contacts if you are on a voice or video call.
Why Does WhatsApp Show You Online During Calls?
There are a few key reasons why WhatsApp designed their platform to show your online status during calls:
- Real-time communication – Displaying your online status lets your contacts know you are engaged in a call and may be unable to respond to chats immediately.
- User experience – It provides a better user experience to see when your contacts are on a call, rather than just having their status show as offline.
- Mimics real phone calls – Since traditional phone calls display your availability in real-time, WhatsApp mimics this behavior for a more natural calling experience.
- More transparency – Showing your online status openly during calls promotes transparency and lets you know when your contacts are engaged.
Overall, it mirrors the visibility of a normal phone call while providing more information to enhance the WhatsApp calling experience.
How to Hide “Last Seen” and Online Status
While having your status visible during calls can be useful, some may prefer to hide their online status and availability. Here are two ways to do this on WhatsApp:
1. Disable Last Seen
You can prevent contacts from seeing your Last Seen timestamp by following these steps:
- Open WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy
- Under Last Seen, select “Nobody” to disable last seen for all contacts.
This will stop your last seen from updating, but keep in mind it will also hide your online status during calls.
2. Hide Online Status from Specific Contacts
Another option is hiding your online status from certain contacts:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy
- Tap on “Last Seen & Online” and select “My Contacts Except”
- Choose which contacts to exclude from seeing your status
This allows you to selectively hide your online activity and availability during calls from specific people.
Comparison of Online Status During Other Activities
To give more perspective, here is a quick comparison of how your online status appears during calls vs. other WhatsApp activities:
| WhatsApp Activity | Online Status |
|---|---|
| Making/Receiving Calls | Online for full duration of call |
| Sending/Reading Messages | Online while chatting, idle after a few mins |
| Voice Messages | Online while recording and sending |
| Group Calls | Online for entire call duration |
As you can see, calls are the only WhatsApp activity that keeps your status fixed as online for the full length of time. With other activities like chatting or voice messages, your status eventually becomes idle/offline after a few minutes.
Tips for Managing Your Online Status
Here are some tips to help manage your online status and availability on WhatsApp calls:
- Disable last seen and online status for contacts you don’t frequently communicate with.
- Set your status to offline when you want to avoid calls or indicate you’re busy.
- If you want to be available for chats but not calls, disable your read receipts.
- Check your active WhatsApp contacts before making a call to avoid distracting statuses.
- Use Do Not Disturb mode on your device to pause notifications when occupied.
Taking control of your settings, online visibility, and notifications can help optimize your WhatsApp experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WhatsApp show when you’re on a call to groups?
Yes, group calls will also display your status as online to all participants for the duration of the call. Your online status is visible to anyone in the group while the call is ongoing.
Can I hide my status just while on a call?
There is no setting to selectively hide your online status only during calls. Disabling last seen and online status altogether is the only way to hide your status while on calls.
Do deleted contacts still see your status during calls?
No, contacts who have been deleted/blocked will no longer be able to see your online status or last seen timestamp.
Can I see someone’s status if they have disabled last seen?
If a contact has disabled their last seen, you will not be able to view their status at any time, including during WhatsApp calls.
What happens if my phone loses internet during a call?
You will remain online for a brief period, but your status will change to offline/last seen once the internet disconnects and drops the call.
Conclusion
To summarize, WhatsApp does display your status as online when you are on voice and video calls on the platform. This provides a better user experience by showing your live availability and mimics the visibility of traditional phone calls.
While having an online status during calls can be useful, you do have options to disable last seen and online status for more privacy. With customized settings and selective visibility, you can control how and when your WhatsApp contacts can see your online status.