Status update sharing through web UI

  Testing of status update sharing through web UI started by WhatsApp

WhatsApp Web beta now allows users to post status updates, saving them the hassle of transferring files to their primary smartphone.  The feature is currently in limited beta testing but is expected to be rolled out to more users in the near future.  WhatsApp is adding support for sharing status updates from some linked devices. The Meta-owned messaging service will soon allow users to post status updates from the web version or from linked 'companion' devices. Users who have signed up to test beta versions of WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp for Android can already try out the new functionality on their secondary devices. Companion mode for WhatsApp allows users to access their chats on four other devices, even when their primary smartphone isn't online.

Ephemeral status updates have been a WhatsApp feature since 2020. The addition helped it follow in the footsteps of Snapchat, Telegram, and other popular instant messaging apps on Android. However, the convenience has been limited to your primary Android phone or iPhone only, even though WhatsApp allows linking other devices to the same user account. Now, people using WhatsApp on the web can finally post status updates using the latest beta version.

After updating to WhatsApp Web beta 2.2353.59, a new feature in the web client which allows users to post updates from the Status section. Beta testers should be able to click on the green icon next to their profile photo next to My Status and tap on Photos & Videos or Text, to upload a status update. WhatsApp’s linked device connectivity started off with WhatsApp Web, which gave users access to their account on any device with a web browser. Platform-agnostic support made it a versatile solution for sharing files stored on another machine, or giving support executives concurrent access to accounts dedicated to chat support. Although functionality was limited, the change paved the way for linked device support extending to tablets, native apps for desktop, and secondary smartphones.

Linked devices currently allow users the to chat with their contacts, but it looks like WhatsApp is slowly expanding the features available on these devices. The current stable version of WhatsApp Web has dedicated tabs for chats, Communities, Channels, and status updates. However, you can only view updates from your contacts, or the ephemeral posts made from your primary smartphone. Beta version 2.2353.59 of WhatsApp Web also allows you to post new status updates using the web GUI.

There's no word on when the company will roll out the feature to all users. The feature is also expected to make its way to iOS companion devices. The messaging platform recently began testing a new type of companion device — WhatsApp for iPad. Beta testers can now install WhatsApp on Apple's tablets if they are part of the TestFlight program. However, it is worth noting that both the Android and iOS beta programmes for WhatsApp are currently full, and the service isn't allowing more users to sign up to receive WhatsApp beta updates.

This feature will save users the hassle of transferring images and videos to their primary smartphone if they plan to post it as a status update. Since the web version can run on any OS with a browser, you could post status updates even if the feature isn’t supported on WhatsApp’s native client for the OS in question. For now, it seems to be a limited beta test. Given the significance and widespread reach of WhatsApp Web, we suspect it won’t be long before users around the world accessing the stable version get to enjoy this convenience as well.