Users can set About messages that disappear after a chosen duration.
Updates appear as small bubbles inside chats for quick visibility.
Rollout is gradual, with availability expanding to more iOS devices.
WhatsApp is reportedly expanding access to its refreshed About section, bringing new auto expiring status messages to more iOS users with the latest App Store update. The new feature is under testing and lets users post short-term status notes that vanish after a chosen duration, a move that aims to keep profiles timely without requiring manual clean ups.
SurveyThe updated About works similarly to WhatsApp Status, but it is intended for quick, contextual updates that appear directly inside chats. Users can use text and emojis to communicate what they’re doing, how they’re feeling, and whether they’re available. These updates appear as compact bubbles beneath a contact’s profile photo in one-on-one conversations and on the chat info screen, eliminating the need to open full profiles to check someone’s current status.
WhatsApp’s App Store changelog now prominently features the redesigned About page, indicating that the rollout is expanding to more devices. The updated interface now allows users to set timers ranging from a few hours to a month. When the selected window closes, the status disappears automatically. Users can also edit, delete, or restrict the visibility of their About updates at any time using privacy settings.
The feature is intended for real-time context. For example, a colleague marking “In a meeting” for two hours or a friend indicating they are “Travelling” for the day immediately clarifies availability within the chat window. Emoji support adds visual cues to updates, such as a coffee cup for a break or a suitcase for travel, making them more expressive and easier to understand at a glance.
Until now, the About section operated as a static profile field that frequently remained unchanged for months. The new version seeks to address this by automatically removing old content and giving predefined time frames for quick posting.
While some iOS users have already received the update, WhatsApp says the feature will be rolled out gradually. This means that not everyone will see the redesigned About page right away, but access will gradually increase in the coming weeks as the update is rolled out to more devices.
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Ashish Singh
Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek. View Full Profile
