Major WhatsApp Update Allows Tagging Users In Stories

Meta-owned WhatsApp is now bringing the tag option for stories, much similar to how tagging works on its Instagram and Facebook platforms.

Meta ecosystem is slowly bringing synergy into every platform, not only in terms of user experiences and security but also in features. The tech giant has officially announced a major WhatsApp update that unlocks a key feature currently available on Instagram and Facebook only.

The new features around stories are starting to roll out and will be available to everyone globally. After updating to the latest version, WhatsApp users will soon be able to tag others in their Stories or mention them privately. Users who are mentioned can reshare the stories on their timelines.

“WhatsApp Status is the best way to stay connected with friends and family and now we’re making it even better. With status likes, private mentions and the ability to reshare a status you’re mentioned in, we’re making it easier to reach the people who matter most,” said the company in its official blog post.

WhatsApp stories gained popularity quickly owing to the established user experience of Instagram stories. However, the stories were only visible to the users who were saved as contacts on their profiles. With the story mentions enabled, the tagged users can repost the story on their timeline, making it visible to their contacts.

However, users can only tag up to 5 people in a story. While usernames were never shareable on WhatsApp, the person tagging them can explicitly show their usernames in the stories. The audience preference for the stories is now expanded to a custom list, close friends, and contacts.

WhatsApp is also bringing more new features to its Channels section. Users can now find it easier to explore channels they like by searching them in categories, including People, Organizations, Lifestyle, Sports, Entertainment, Businesses, and News & Information. 

The platform also recently introduced new backgrounds and filters for video calls. The recent changes happening at WhatsApp are making a strong foundation for the platform to lead the industry of messaging apps worldwide.