Green dots next to profile pictures aren’t exactly new. Facebook Messenger’s had one for years, and Instagram copied it not long after. WhatsApp’s finally catching up too, at least on Android. Now, according to WABetaInfo, the WhatsApp green dot is showing up for a few iPhone beta testers as well.
The dot appears next to a contact’s profile photo, but only inside the Contact info screen for now. That’s the page you get to by tapping someone’s name at the top of a chat. It shows up the moment that person opens WhatsApp and disappears the second they close it. No refreshing, no guessing based on a last seen timestamp from twenty minutes ago.
Image credit – WABetaInfo
WABetaInfo spotted the WhatsApp green dot in iOS beta version 26.26.10.72. It follows the same rules as WhatsApp’s existing privacy settings. If you’ve already hidden your last seen and online status from someone, they won’t see your green dot either. Nobody’s getting extra visibility they didn’t already have access to.
Why the WhatsApp Green Dot Placement Matters
Right now, the WhatsApp green dot only lives in one spot, and it’s not the spot you’d actually check before sending a message. Most people glance at the chat list first, not a contact’s info page. That’s the exact kind of thing you’d want hidden if you’d rather not broadcast when you’re around.
WhatsApp’s been quietly building out ways to control that kind of visibility for a while now. Back in 2022, the app started letting people fully hide their online status instead of just last seen. The green dot slots right into those same settings.
There’s also talk of a dedicated Contacts hub coming to WhatsApp that would show who’s active right now. If that’s where this is headed, the green dot in Contact info might just be step one. For now, it’s buried in a screen most people rarely open. Kind of a letdown for something that seemed like a bigger deal at first glance.
