WhatsApp has announced a significant refresh to its “About” feature, positioning it as a more immediate way for users to share what they’re up to. The company says the update aims to bring the original spirit of the feature back into focus, letting people post short, lightweight updates that feel more natural than a full Status upload.
About was technically the platform’s very first feature, predating messaging altogether. The company says this reintroduction is about modernising a simple idea rather than reinventing it. The updated feature begins rolling out to all mobile users starting this week.
With this revamp, About now appears more prominently at the top of chats and on profiles, making it much harder to miss. WhatsApp says the change should help contacts get more context at a glance, whether it’s a quick mood update, an activity, or simply letting others know you’re available.
Users can also reply directly to someone’s About, which turns the feature into a more conversational touchpoint. Instead of broadcasting a Status to a wide audience, this gives contacts an easy way to start a chat based on whatever someone posts, without feeling intrusive.
Additionally, WhatsApp is introducing time-limited visibility for About posts. By default, updates expire after 24 hours, but users can customise how long they stay live or keep them up for as long as they want. The company adds that all existing privacy controls still apply, so people can decide exactly who gets to see their updates.
(Source: WhatsApp [official blog])
