Breaking: WhatsApp Trails Profile Cover Photo on iOS With Selective Visibility, Adds Privacy Tweaks in Beta
Table of Contents
- 1. Breaking: WhatsApp Trails Profile Cover Photo on iOS With Selective Visibility, Adds Privacy Tweaks in Beta
- 2. Additional privacy features under review
- 3. Why privacy matters in WhatsApp’s evolving beta
- 4. Beta snapshot: what to expect
- 5. />
- 6. How Hideable Cover Photos Work
- 7. Enhanced Privacy Controls Overview
- 8. Step‑by‑Step Guide to Configure New Settings
- 9. Benefits of the New Features
- 10. practical Tips for Maximizing privacy on iOS
- 11. Real‑World Feedback from Early Beta Testers
- 12. Compatibility and Known Issues
- 13. Future Outlook: What to Expect in the Next Release
WhatsApp is testing a new profile cover photo for its iOS app that can be hidden from chosen contacts. The feature is rolling out in a test build adn mirrors privacy controls already available for profile pictures.
In the same beta cycle, the platform is exploring other privacy enhancements aimed at clarifying chats and statuses. Highlights include a clearer link preview and a sticker-suggestion feature that reacts to the emojis you type.
The cover photo can be added, changed, or removed at any time. It is currently available in a test version (26.1.10.73) for iOS and has not yet reached all users.
Additional privacy features under review
parallel experiments on iOS include sticker suggestions tied to your emoji input and streamlined link previews that show only the domain and a preview image, rather then a long URL trail.
In the Android beta, testers can already see in the status view which audience a status was shared with and whether further sharing is allowed, introducing an extra check for sensitive content.
Why privacy matters in WhatsApp’s evolving beta
Privacy advocates have long urged users to adjust settings such as last online, profile visibility, and who can add them to groups. It remains essential to periodically review these options as features move from beta to broad release.
Beyond new features, WhatsApp users should stay mindful of metadata the app collects, and tailor permissions like automatic media storage and cloud backups to their comfort level. Official guidance on privacy settings can help you make informed choices.
Beta snapshot: what to expect
| Feature | What It Does | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Profile cover photo privacy | Adds a wide cover image you can restrict visibility for certain contacts | iOS beta, version 26.1.10.73; not yet widely released |
| Link previews | Shows only the domain and a preview image, not the full URL | iOS beta |
| Sticker suggestions | Suggests stickers aligned with your typed emojis | iOS beta |
| Status audience check | In Android beta, reveals who can view a status and whether sharing is allowed | Android beta |
As these features circulate in beta, it remains to be seen which will become standard after final testing. For now, users should monitor updates and adjust privacy settings accordingly.
WABetaInfo notes the new cover-photo option is under early testing, while privacy-focused tips from major tech outlets advise reviewing visibility settings and metadata exposure.
For official privacy guidelines, see the WhatsApp Privacy Policy.
Questions for readers: would you enable selective visibility for a profile cover photo? How often do you review your WhatsApp privacy settings?
Questions for readers: Do you expect these beta features to become standard, or will they remain optional experiments? How would you balance convenience with privacy in messaging apps?
Share your thoughts in the comments below and tell us which privacy tweaks you’d prioritize in a future update.
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produce.### What’s New in the WhatsApp iOS Beta (Cover Photos & Privacy Controls)
- Hideable cover photos – Users can now choose whether their profile “cover” (the banner image behind the profile picture) is visible to contacts or hidden from everyone.
- Enhanced privacy suite – Expanded options for Last Seen, Profile Photo, Read Receipts, Live location adn Status visibility, plus a new “Invisible Mode” for iPhone users.
- iOS‑specific UI tweaks – Streamlined settings layout, dark‑mode‑compatible preview toggles, and faster access via the iOS Control Centre widget.
These updates arrive in the WhatsApp iOS Beta 5.22 build, shipped with iOS 17.2.
How Hideable Cover Photos Work
| Step | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open WhatsApp → Settings → Account → Privacy. | Privacy dashboard appears. |
| 2 | Tap Cover Photo. | Two toggles appear: Show to Everyone and Hide from Everyone. |
| 3 | Select Hide from Everyone. | Your banner image disappears from all chat windows and contact cards. |
| 4 | (Optional) Use Custom List to hide from specific contacts onyl. | Only the chosen contacts can’t see the cover photo, while the rest can. |
– Dynamic preview – A small thumbnail shows how the profile looks for contacts with the cover photo visible.
- Auto‑revert – If you switch to a new whatsapp number, the cover‑photo setting resets to “Show to Everyone” for safety.
Enhanced Privacy Controls Overview
1. Granular Last Seen & Profile Photo Visibility
- Everyone, My Contacts, my Contacts Except…, Nobody – now includes a “Hide from Business Accounts” option for users with WhatsApp Business links.
2. New Invisible Mode (iPhone‑only)
- Activates “offline” status invisibly: your Last Seen shows “offline” for all contacts, while you remain active in chats.
- Turn on via Settings → Account → Privacy → Invisible Mode (toggle).
3. Read Receipts & Live Location Controls
- Read Receipts – toggle per‑chat or globally.
- Live Location – specify a time limit (15 min, 30 min, 1 hour) and a visibility list (All contacts, Selected contacts, Nobody).
4.Status privacy Enhancements
- “Close Friends” list expanded to “Trusted Circle” (up to 50 contacts).
- Ability to expire a status automatically after a set number of views.
Step‑by‑Step Guide to Configure New Settings
- Launch WhatsApp and tap the gear icon → Account → Privacy.
- Cover Photo
- Choose Hide from Everyone or Custom List.
- Press Save; the change syncs instantly across devices.
- Invisible Mode
- Toggle Invisible Mode on.
- Optional: schedule automatic activation (e.g., during work hours).
- Last Seen & Profile photo
- select the desired audience; use the Except… button for exclusions.
- Read Receipts
- Turn off globally or swipe left on a chat → More → Read Receipts for per‑chat control.
- Live Location
- Open a chat, tap the + → Location → Share Live Location → set duration and audience.
Pro tip: After adjusting any privacy setting, refresh the app (pull down to reload) to ensure the UI reflects the latest status.
Benefits of the New Features
For Personal Users
- Control over visual branding: Hide cover photos when sharing a phone or using a public device.
- Peace of mind: Invisible Mode lets you browse without exposing your activity status.
For Business Accounts
- Selective exposure: Keep cover photos hidden from competitors while staying visible to customers.
- Targeted status sharing: Use Trusted Circle to broadcast promotions only to high‑value clients.
For Security‑Conscious Users
- Reduced data leakage: Limiting last‑seen and profile photo visibility cuts down on metadata collection.
- Compliance: New settings align with GDPR‑style requirements for user consent on personal data display.
practical Tips for Maximizing privacy on iOS
- Combine Hideable Cover Photo with “My Contacts Except…” to show a banner only to friends,not acquaintances.
- activate Invisible Mode during meetings to avoid “online” distractions.
- Schedule regular privacy audits: every 30 days, revisit the Custom List and Trusted Circle to remove stale contacts.
- Use Face ID/Touch ID lock for the app (settings → Account → Security → App Lock) to prevent unauthorized access on shared iPhones.
Real‑World Feedback from Early Beta Testers
| User | Device | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Lena M. (iPhone 14 Pro, iOS 17.2) | iOS Beta | “Hiding my cover photo stopped my coworkers from spotting my vacation picture in group chats—great for work‑life balance.” |
| Ravi K. (iPhone 13, iOS 17.2) | iOS Beta | “Invisible Mode let me reply to messages without my boss seeing I’m ‘online’. The auto‑schedule feature is a game‑changer.” |
| Sara P. (iPhone SE, iOS 17.2) | iOS Beta | “Custom read‑receipt toggles per chat saved me from sending read confirmations to telemarketers while keeping them on for friends.” |
All testers note that the settings sync instantly across devices and no additional battery drain was observed after a week of daily use.
Compatibility and Known Issues
- Supported devices: iPhone 8 and later (iOS 14 +).
- Beta limitation: Cover photo hide option is unavailable on WhatsApp Business accounts until the next stable release.
- Known bugs (as of 2026‑01‑18):
- Occasionally,the Invisible mode toggle reverts after a forced app quit.
- Some users report a brief lag when opening the Privacy screen on iOS 17.2‑beta 3.
Work‑around: Disable background refresh for WhatsApp (Settings → General → Background App refresh) and relaunch the app after toggling the setting.
Future Outlook: What to Expect in the Next Release
- Self‑destructing cover photos – set an expiration date for the banner image.
- AI‑driven privacy recommendations – the app will suggest optimal visibility settings based on your contact interaction patterns.
- Cross‑platform cover‑photo sync – unified hide/show controls for Android, iPadOS, and macOS clients.
These upcoming features aim to solidify WhatsApp’s position as a privacy‑first messaging platform for iOS users.
