WhatsApp status is a popular feature that allows users to share photos, videos, and messages that disappear after 24 hours. However, there are some situations where someone may not be able to see your status updates.
When You Block Someone
If you block someone on WhatsApp, they will no longer be able to see your profile photo, last seen, or status. This is because blocking prevents all communication with that person. They will not get any notifications about your status updates either.
To block someone on WhatsApp:
- Open the chat with the contact you want to block
- Tap on the contact’s name at the top
- Scroll down and tap Block
Once blocked, that contact will no longer be able to see any of your WhatsApp activity, including your status, until you unblock them. Blocking someone provides complete privacy from that particular contact.
When You Delete a Contact
If you delete a contact from your phonebook, they will no longer be able to see your WhatsApp status updates. This is because in order to see someone’s status, you need to have their contact information saved in your phone’s address book.
So if you delete a contact’s phone number from your phonebook, WhatsApp will no longer recognize them as one of your contacts, and they will not be able to view any of your WhatsApp activity.
To delete a contact on WhatsApp:
- Open your phone’s Contacts app
- Select the contact you want to remove
- Tap Delete
This will delete the contact’s phone number from your address book and remove them as one of your WhatsApp contacts. They will no longer be able to see your status updates.
When You Remove Someone From Your Contacts
Similar to deleting a contact, if you remove someone from your WhatsApp contacts list, they will no longer be able to view your status updates.
Even if the contact still has your number saved in their phonebook, removing them as a WhatsApp contact prevents them from seeing your WhatsApp activity.
To remove a WhatsApp contact:
- Open the chat with the contact
- Tap on the contact’s name at the top
- Scroll down and tap Remove
This will delete the chat history with that contact and remove them from your WhatsApp contacts. They will no longer see your profile photo, last seen, or status updates.
When You Change Your Privacy Settings
Within WhatsApp’s privacy settings, you can control who can see your status updates:
- Everyone
- My Contacts
- My Contacts Except…
- Only Share with…
If you change your settings to be more restrictive, certain contacts who previously could see your status may no longer be able to. For example, if you switch from “My Contacts” to “My Contacts Except…” and exclude specific people, they will stop seeing your status.
To change your WhatsApp status privacy:
- Open WhatsApp Settings
- Tap Account > Privacy
- Tap Status > Choose who can see my status updates
- Select your desired privacy setting
Adjusting these settings is an easy way to stop your status updates from reaching people without having to block or delete them as contacts.
When Someone Deletes Their WhatsApp Account
If someone decides to delete or deactivate their WhatsApp account, they obviously will no longer be able to see any of your status updates. This prevents any further communication from either side.
Some reasons a person may delete their WhatsApp account include:
- Leaving a job or school where WhatsApp was used for communication
- Need a break from social media
- Switching to a different messaging app
When a WhatsApp account is deleted, all of that user’s information is removed from WhatsApp servers. They will not appear in any of your contact lists and will be unable to access any past messages or your current status updates.
If You Are Blocked by Someone
Being blocked by someone on WhatsApp also prevents them from seeing your status updates. If another user blocks you, it stops all communication from your side reaching them.
You will not receive any notification if you are blocked by someone. But you may notice signs like your messages not delivering or the contact disappearing from your contacts list.
Some reasons why someone may block you include:
- They find your frequent communication annoying
- Arguments or disagreement with the person
- As a way to cut contact during a breakup
- Their phone was stolen and don’t want intruders accessing conversations
Regardless of the reason, being blocked will prevent the person who blocked you from seeing your WhatsApp status updates.
If You Don’t Share Your Status With Non-Contacts
WhatsApp gives you the option to permit non-contacts to see your status updates. Non-contacts refers to people who have your phone number saved but are not your WhatsApp contacts.
If you disable this setting, only the people in your phone’s address book who are also your WhatsApp contacts will be able to view your status.
To change this setting:
- Open WhatsApp Settings
- Tap Account > Privacy
- Toggle off Share Status With Non-Contacts
Disabling this means anyone without your number saved as a contact will not see your status updates on WhatsApp.
If There Are Network Issues
In some cases, even if someone should be able to view your status based on your settings, network issues may prevent your status from being visible. This could include problems like:
- Poor internet connection
- Outdated version of WhatsApp
- Their account registered with an invalid phone number
- Server outages or downtime
Network problems like these can temporarily create a situation where your status does not reach certain contacts due to technical difficulties. It does not necessarily mean you are blocked or excluded.
To troubleshoot, first make sure you and the other person have stable internet connections. Also try updating to the latest version of WhatsApp.
When Your Phone Is Offline
If your phone is offline or in airplane mode, your contacts will not be able to see your WhatsApp status updates. This is because your phone is unable to connect to the WhatsApp servers to broadcast status changes.
Your status privacy settings also cannot take effect if your device is offline, since the app cannot fetch your latest privacy preferences. So when your phone comes back online, there may be a short delay before your visibility settings apply again.
To ensure your status reaches the appropriate people, make sure to keep your phone connected to the internet. Offline status updates will become visible once you reconnect to WhatsApp’s servers.
When You Haven’t Updated Your Status in 24 Hours
WhatsApp status updates automatically disappear after 24 hours. So if it has been over 24 hours since you last updated your status, contacts will no longer be able to view it.
The status is only visible to others while it is “live”. If you do not update your status daily, there will be periods where your contacts cannot see any status from your side, as it has automatically expired.
To have a status that is consistently visible to others, make sure to update it at least once every 24 hours. Otherwise it will vanish after a day.
Conclusion
There are many potential reasons someone may not be able to view your WhatsApp status updates. The most common ones include blocking, removing or deleting contacts, changing privacy settings, being blocked yourself, and network issues.
Other reasons your status may not be visible include your phone being offline, not updating status for 24 hours, or the other person deleting their WhatsApp account. Understanding the various factors that affect status visibility can help you troubleshoot any issues.
Overall, WhatsApp provides customizable settings to control status viewing. By managing your privacy preferences, blocking contacts, and ensuring your phone stays connected, you can decide exactly who gets access to your status updates.
Reason | Explanation |
---|---|
You block someone | Blocking prevents them from seeing your status |
You delete a contact | They need your number saved to view status |
You remove a WhatsApp contact | Removes their access to your status updates |
You change privacy settings | Can exclude people from seeing status |
Someone deletes their account | They no longer have WhatsApp access |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone who has your number saved but is not your contact see your WhatsApp status?
No, only people who are in your phone’s contacts list and are also added as WhatsApp contacts will be able to view your status. To allow non-contacts to see status, you need to enable the “Share Status With Non-Contacts” setting.
If you block someone, can they unblock themselves and view your status?
No, a blocked contact cannot unblock themselves. Only you can unblock people you have blocked. They will remain unable to view your status until you manually unblock them.
Does deleting your WhatsApp account delete all status updates you’ve sent?
Yes, deleting your WhatsApp account erases all data associated with your account, including past status updates. They will no longer be visible to recipients.
Can contacts with invalid phone numbers see your WhatsApp status?
No, in order to view someone’s WhatsApp status, your phone number must be valid and correctly registered with WhatsApp servers. Invalid numbers cannot access WhatsApp.
If someone blocks me, will I get a notification about it?
No, you will not get notified if you are blocked by another WhatsApp user. But you may notice indirect indicators like messages not sending.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking, removing, or deleting contacts prevents them from accessing your status
- Changing privacy settings allows you to customize who can view status
- Being blocked yourself, network issues, or inactive status can also limit visibility
- Update your status daily and ensure your phone stays connected for maximum visibility
- Manage your settings to control precisely who can and cannot view your WhatsApp status