New WhatsApp Feature: View All Active Users in One Place

WhatsApp is currently developing a new feature that will allow users to view all currently active contacts in a single location. According to the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.13.3 update, this dedicated menu aims to eliminate the need to open individual chats to check a user’s availability.

Functionality of the New List The current system requires users to check the “online” status within each individual chat window. The feature in development introduces a centralized list, which is expected to be located within the app’s settings.

Users will be able to sort this list using two criteria:

• By name: Alphabetical order of contacts.

• By online status: Contacts currently online will appear at the top. Below them, offline users will be organized chronologically based on their “last seen” time.

The interface will also include recommendations for saving unknown numbers to the address book, prioritizing individuals the user has already communicated with, such as participants from group chats.

Adherence to Privacy Settings WhatsApp notes that the new feature will fully integrate existing privacy settings. If a contact has disabled their “last seen” visibility, their activity time will not appear in the sorting order. Users who have completely hidden their online status will not be visible on this list at all, ensuring that individual visibility preferences remain respected.

The feature is currently in the internal development phase, and the exact location of this menu within the interface is subject to change. Once internal testing is complete, the option will be rolled out to a limited number of beta testers before a potential official release.