How can I block status updates on WhatsApp?

Stop Seeing Statuses From Specific Contacts

If there’s a particular contact whose statuses you’re tired of, these two ways will help you get rid of them without fuss.

Block the Contact Directly

This is the most straightforward way to cut off all status updates from someone.

Open contact profile: Go to your WhatsApp chat list, find the contact you want to block, and tap their name to open their profile page.

Tap three dots: In the top right corner of the profile, you’ll see three vertical dots—tap them to pull up the menu.

Select block: Choose “Block” from the menu and confirm your choice. Once done, you won’t see their statuses, messages, or calls again.

I used this last year for a salesperson who kept spamming statuses about their products. Blocking them immediately cleared my feed, and I didn’t have to deal with their updates anymore. According to WhatsApp’s official support page (https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/privacy-and-security/blocking-and-unblocking-contacts/?lang=en nofollow), blocking a contact also hides your statuses from them, so keep that in mind if you want to maintain any visibility.

Use the Mute Status Feature

If you still want to message the contact but don’t want their statuses, muting is the perfect middle ground.

Go to Status tab: Open WhatsApp and tap the “Status” tab at the top of the screen.

Long press contact: Find the contact whose status you want to mute and long-press their name.

Choose Mute: A menu will pop up—select “Mute” and pick how long you want to mute them (8 hours, 1 week, or always).

My cousin uses this for her distant relative who posts 10+ statuses a day. She can still text them for family updates, but she doesn’t have to scroll through their endless posts. The best part? The contact never gets a notification that you’ve muted their status—so no awkward conversations.

Mute All Status Updates Temporarily

Sometimes you just need a break from all statuses, not just specific ones. These methods let you do that quickly.

Use the Do Not Disturb Mode

DND mode silences all notifications, including status updates, so you can focus without distractions.

Open Settings: Tap the three dots in the top right of WhatsApp and select “Settings.”

Go to Notifications: Click on “Notifications” from the settings menu.

Turn on DND: Toggle on “Do Not Disturb” and set a time frame (like 1 hour or custom) for when you want to be left alone.

I use this when I’m working on a big project—DND keeps me from getting pulled into checking statuses every time my phone buzzes. It’s a simple fix that makes a huge difference in productivity.

Adjust Status Notification Settings

If you don’t want to use DND but still don’t want status notifications, this works.

Open Settings: Go to WhatsApp’s settings as before.

Select Notifications: Click “Notifications” and scroll down to the “Status” section.

Toggle off Status: Turn off the “Status updates” switch. You won’t get any alerts for new statuses, though you can still see them if you visit the Status tab.

This is great for people who don’t mind seeing statuses occasionally but don’t want to be notified every time someone posts. I recommended this to my friend who was getting overwhelmed by constant status alerts—she said it made her WhatsApp experience way calmer.

Adjust Privacy Settings to Control Status Visibility

While this doesn’t block others’ statuses, it lets you control who can see your statuses, which indirectly reduces the number of people who might post statuses you don’t care about (since they can’t see yours either).

Set Status to “My Contacts Except…”

This lets you exclude specific contacts from seeing your statuses, which might make them less likely to post statuses directed at you.

Open Status settings: Go to WhatsApp’s settings, then tap “Privacy” and “Status.”

Choose “My Contacts Except”: Select this option and pick the contacts you want to exclude.

Save changes: Tap “Done” to save your settings.

I use this for people I don’t talk to often—they can’t see my statuses, so they’re less likely to post things I don’t need to see. It’s a subtle way to reduce clutter without blocking anyone.

Use “Only Share With” for Your Status

If you only want close friends to see your statuses, this option is perfect.

Open Status settings: Go to “Privacy” → “Status” as before.

Pick “Only Share With”: Select the contacts you want to share your statuses with.

Save changes: Tap “Done” to apply the settings.

This way, only your trusted circle sees your statuses, and you can focus on their updates instead of random people’s posts. My sister uses this, and she says it makes her Status tab feel more personal and less overwhelming.

Hide Status Updates Without Blocking

If you don’t want to block or mute, these tricks let you hide statuses without anyone knowing.

Archive the Contact’s Chat

Archiving a chat moves it to a separate folder, so their statuses won’t show up at the top of your feed.

Long press chat: Find the contact’s chat in your list and long-press it.

Tap archive: Click the archive icon (a box with an arrow) at the top of the screen.

Access archived chats: To find the chat later, scroll to the bottom of your chat list and tap “Archived Chats.”

I did this for a friend who posts a lot of political statuses—I don’t want to block them, but I don’t want to see their posts every day. Archiving their chat keeps my feed clean, and I can still message them if I need to.

Use Third-Party Apps (with Caution)

Some apps let you manage WhatsApp statuses, but be careful—only use trusted ones from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Research trusted apps: Look for apps with high ratings and good reviews (like “Status Saver” or “WhatsApp Tools”).

Download from official store: Avoid third-party websites—download the app from your device’s official store to avoid malware.

Follow app instructions: Each app works differently, but most let you hide or filter statuses based on contacts.

I tried a status management app last month, and it worked well—though I made sure to read the privacy policy first. Remember: third-party apps can access your WhatsApp data, so only use ones you trust.

Manage Status Updates on WhatsApp Web

If you often use WhatsApp web (https://www.logws-whatsapp.com) to check messages, you can manage statuses from there too.

Block Contacts via WhatsApp Web

Blocking on web syncs with your mobile app, so changes apply everywhere.

Log into WhatsApp web: Scan the QR code with your phone to log in.

Open contact profile: Find the contact in your chat list and click their name to open their profile.

Click block: Click the three dots in the top right and select “Block” from the menu.

This is convenient if you’re working on your computer and don’t want to grab your phone to block someone. I use this when I’m at work and see a spam status—blocking it right away saves time.

Mute Statuses on WhatsApp Web

Muting on web is just as easy as mobile.

Go to Status tab: Click the “Status” tab on the left side of the screen.

Hover over contact: Find the contact you want to mute and hover your mouse over their name.

Click mute: A “Mute” button will appear—click it and choose how long to mute them.

This is great for when you’re on your computer and don’t want to be distracted by status updates. I use this during meetings to keep my focus on the task at hand.

WhatsApp web常见问题解答

Q: Can I block status updates on WhatsApp web without affecting my mobile app? A: No, changes you make on WhatsApp web sync with your mobile app. If you block a contact on web, they’ll be blocked on your phone too, and vice versa. This is because WhatsApp syncs all your data across devices—so any action you take on one platform applies to all others. For example, if you mute a contact’s status on web, you won’t see their statuses on your phone either. This is convenient because you don’t have to repeat the same steps on both devices, but it’s important to remember that your actions are universal. If you ever want to reverse the change, you can do it on either platform and it will update everywhere. Q: How do I unmute status updates on WhatsApp web? A: Unmuting statuses on WhatsApp web is simple. First, log into your WhatsApp web account. Go to the “Status” tab on the left side of the screen. Find the contact you muted—their name will have a muted icon next to it. Hover your mouse over their name, and a “Unmute” button will appear. Click it, and you’ll start seeing their statuses again. This change will sync to your mobile app, so you don’t have to do anything else. I’ve had to unmute contacts a few times—like when my best friend started posting photos from her vacation, and I wanted to see them again. Unmuting is quick and painless. Q: Why can’t I see status updates from a contact on WhatsApp web even if I didn’t block them? A: There are a few reasons this might happen. First, the contact might have set their status to “Only Share With” specific people, and you’re not on that list. Second, you might have accidentally muted their status—check the Status tab to see if their name has a muted icon. Third, your WhatsApp web might be out of sync—try refreshing the page or logging out and back in. If none of these work, the contact might have blocked you (though you’d also not be able to send them messages). I once had this issue with a colleague—turns out, they’d set their status to only share with their family. Once they added me to their list, I could see their statuses again. It’s always a good idea to check these things before assuming something is wrong.

Have you tried any of these methods to block status updates on WhatsApp? Let me know in the comments which one worked best for you!