There are a few possible reasons why you may not be able to see someone’s WhatsApp status update even though they can see yours:
They blocked you
The most likely reason is that the other person has blocked you on WhatsApp. When you block someone, they can no longer see your profile photo, last seen status, or status updates. However, you remain unblocked from their end, so you can still see their updates.
They restricted who can view their status
WhatsApp allows users to configure who can see their status updates – either everyone, their contacts, or a custom list of people. If you are not in the list of people the other user has allowed, you will not be able to see their status.
Your account was temporarily banned
If WhatsApp detected suspicious activity from your account, they may have temporarily banned your account. A banned account can no longer see other users’ status updates. However, your contacts can still see your status if you had one active before the ban.
They recently changed their privacy settings
It’s possible the other user recently changed their WhatsApp privacy settings to be more restrictive. For example, they may have changed the status privacy from “Everyone” to “My Contacts” which would exclude you if you are not in their address book.
Your account is glitching
In rare cases, a glitch on WhatsApp’s end could prevent you from seeing someone’s status even though they can see yours. Trying force quitting and reopening the app or restarting your phone could potentially resolve a temporary glitch.
Their account is glitching
Similar to the point above, it’s possible a glitch is affecting the other person’s account and preventing their status from being visible to certain contacts like yourself. There is not much you can do in this case apart from informing the other user.
You don’t have an internet connection
Having an internet connection is required to be able to view WhatsApp status updates. If you have a poor internet connection or no connection at all, you will not be able to see status updates from your contacts.
Their phone is offline
If the other person’s phone is switched off or not connected to the internet, their status will show as offline and you won’t be able to view any status update they may have set. Their status will become visible again once their phone comes back online.
Conclusion
In summary, the most common reasons why you can’t view someone’s status on WhatsApp even though they can see yours are:
- They blocked you
- They limited visibility of their status
- Your account is banned
- They changed their privacy settings
- A glitch is affecting your or their account
- You have no internet connection
- Their phone is offline
If the issue persists even when none of these factors are at play, try reinstalling WhatsApp or contacting their support for assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if someone blocked me on WhatsApp?
If someone blocks you on WhatsApp, you will no longer be able to see their profile photo, last seen status, or any status updates. Your messages to them will not deliver and any calls will not go through. However, they can still view your statuses and send you messages.
Can I restrict who views my WhatsApp status?
Yes, when posting a status in WhatsApp, tap on the audience selector option on top. Here you can choose to allow your status to be viewed by “Everyone”, “My Contacts”, or “My Contacts Except…”. The last option allows you to exclude specific contacts.
What happens if my WhatsApp account gets banned?
A banned WhatsApp account loses access to many features during the ban period. You cannot view other users’ profile info, statuses, or make calls. Your contacts also cannot see your status updates. After the ban is lifted, your account goes back to normal.
Why am I unable to see someone’s status even though my internet is working fine?
If you cannot view someone’s status despite having a good internet connection, the likely reasons are that they have blocked you, limited status visibility, changed privacy settings, or their phone is switched off. A glitch can also sometimes prevent statuses from loading.
How can I troubleshoot problems with viewing WhatsApp status?
Troubleshooting tips if you can’t view someone’s WhatsApp status:
- Force close and reopen the app
- Check your internet connection
- Restart your phone
- Clear the app cache
- Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp
- Contact WhatsApp support if the issue persists
What happens when I block someone on WhatsApp?
When you block a contact on WhatsApp:
- They can no longer view your profile photo, status, or last seen
- You will not receive any messages or calls from them
- Your messages to them will not be delivered
- You will be removed from any WhatsApp groups with them
However, you can still view their profile photo, status updates, and send them messages even though they are blocked from your end.
Can I see someone’s WhatsApp status online?
Unlike Instagram or Facebook stories, there is currently no way to view WhatsApp statuses online after 24 hours. The only place WhatsApp statuses are visible is within the WhatsApp app itself. Even though statuses disappear after 24 hours, a blocked contact can no longer view them during that period.
WhatsApp Status Viewing Troubleshooting Flowchart
| Start | ||
| Are you able to see the contact’s profile picture and last seen? | ||
| Yes | No | |
| They likely blocked you | Check your internet connection | |
| Stop | Internet working okay? | |
| Yes | No | |
| Try force closing and reopening the app | Fix internet connection | |
| Did this fix the issue? | Retry after connection is restored | |
| Yes | Stop | |
| No | ||
| Contact WhatsApp support | ||
| Stop |
Conclusion
In summary, not being able to view someone’s WhatsApp status when they can view yours is likely because they have blocked you, restricted status visibility, changed privacy settings or their phone is offline. Troubleshooting steps like force closing the app, checking your internet connection, reinstalling WhatsApp and contacting support may help resolve the issue. With the right privacy settings, you can also restrict who views your WhatsApp status.