What is the Custom Lists feature?
According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp’s upcoming Custom Lists lets users create named groups of contacts that can view specific status updates. Users can assign an emoji and a custom name to each list, similar to Instagram’s Close Friends.
How the feature works
When you post a status, you choose which list (or the default audience) can see it. Changes to a list – adding or removing contacts – only affect future status posts. Existing updates remain visible to contacts who were part of the list at the time of posting.
- Create multiple lists (e.g., family, work, friends).
- Select an emoji and a name for each list.
- Choose a list when publishing a status.
- Modifications apply only to new statuses.
Comparison with Instagram’s Close Friends
Instagram introduced Close Friends for Stories in 2018, giving users a private audience for selected content. WhatsApp’s Custom Lists expands this concept by allowing several distinct groups instead of a single “close friends” list.
Current availability
The feature appears in the Android beta build 2.26.5.11, but it is not yet accessible to any users, including those enrolled in the public beta. A rollout timeline has not been announced.
Privacy considerations
Custom Lists give users finer‑grained control over who sees their status updates, addressing long‑standing concerns about broad visibility. However, the same underlying issue of apps accessing the entire contact list remains, as highlighted by recent user complaints.
What to expect next
Until WhatsApp officially releases the feature, users can only monitor beta updates and community reports. When launched, the feature is likely to appear alongside the existing three privacy options for status updates.