Ethan Brooks
How To Share WhatsApp Status with a Specific Person
Trying to keep your WhatsApp status under wraps, but only want one person to see it? Yeah, it’s kinda weird, but it’s doable. Not sure why it works, but… this method can help you narrow down your viewers without turning your whole status off for everyone else. It’s a bit fiddly, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty straightforward.
Step 1: Open WhatsApp
First, open up WhatsApp. Make sure it’s updated — because of course, WhatsApp has to make it harder than necessary sometimes. Check if you’re on the latest version by heading to your app store and updating if needed.
Step 2: Access Settings
Tap on those three dots in the top right corner (or the gear icon if you’re on Android). Select Settings from the dropdown — not too hard, but don’t get lost in all the menus.
Step 3: Navigate to Privacy Settings
In Settings, find Privacy. That’s where all the magic (or madness) happens, depending on your perspective. Tap on it to open the options.
Step 4: Adjust Status Who Can See My Updates
Scroll down to find Who Can See My Status Updates. It’s kind of hidden, but it’s there. This is the monster you’re about to tame.
Step 5: Select ‘Only Share With’
Now, tap on the option that says Only Share With. This feature lets you pick who can see your status. Notice that when you do this, WhatsApp typically shows your contacts as options.
Step 6: Choose the Specific Contact
Here’s the tricky part — you’ll see a list of your contacts. Pick the one person you wanna share your status with. You might think you can just pick one, but sometimes WhatsApp lets you select multiple, so just be careful. On certain setups, selecting a single person actually works, while on others, it may still default to more. On some devices, it might not be perfect, and you’ll need to toggle things a few times for it to stick.
Step 7: Confirm Your Selection
Once you’ve picked your contact(s), tap the check mark or confirm button (usually bottom right). Sometimes, the app bugs out here, so if it doesn’t save immediately, give it a second or restart the app. On some phones, you might need to toggle the setting off and on again — don’t ask why, just a thing to try.
Step 8: Verify Your Status Visibility
After setting it, make a test status and ping your chosen contact. Ask if they can see it — because honestly, that’s the easiest way to confirm if it’s working. Sometimes it takes a minute to update, and on some phones, you might have to restart WhatsApp to see the effect.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Here’s where stuff gets weird. If your contact still can’t see your status, double-check your privacy settings. Also, make sure that contact is saved in your phone’s contact list — WhatsApp can be picky about that. If it still fails, try removing and re-adding the contact, or toggling the setting again. Occasionally, especially on older phones, it just doesn’t save right away.
Another thing — on some setups, the “Only Share With” option isn’t as reliable as expected. You might need to disable and re-enable it or even reinstall WhatsApp if things get really wonky.
Conclusion
You’ve technically got your status hidden, except for that one person. Not always perfect, but it works most times. Especially handy if you want to share something private with just one friend without making a whole status circle for it. Just beware that sometimes it’s a bit trial and error, especially with updates and device quirks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change who can see my status after posting?
Yeah, totally — just go back into privacy settings and tweak the Who Can See My Status Updates as needed. It doesn’t affect previous posts, only what future statuses are visible to.
What happens if I remove someone from the ‘Only Share With’ list?
They won’t see any new statuses you share with that setting. Old ones probably stay as they were, unless you change the privacy.
Is it possible to share my status with multiple people but not everyone?
Yes, you can pick multiple contacts under Only Share With. Just be careful; if you accidentally select more than one, everyone on that list will get to see your status.
Summary
- Make sure app is up to date, so all features work right.
- Use Privacy > Who Can See My Status Updates > Only Share With to restrict viewers.
- Select just one contact (or multiple, if needed).
- Confirm and test — always test to see if it sticks.
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. Good luck fiddling with WhatsApp’s weird privacy stuff — sometimes it’s counterintuitive, but with a bit of patience, it usually works out.