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WhatsApp Introduces Ads in Statuses and Channels for iOS#

July 24, 2025

Ads in Statuses and Channels for iOS in WA

WhatsApp is expanding its advertising capabilities by bringing sponsored content directly to the Updates tab on iOS! This new feature gives businesses and content creators two new ways to reach their audience directly in the familiar user interface of statuses and channels.

The latest beta version of WhatsApp for iOS 25.20.10.78, available in TestFlight, has revealed the development of a feature that allows you to show ads in statuses and promoted channels!

Table of Contents#

Sponsored Content in the Updates Tab#

Both features are seamlessly integrated into the Updates tab, keeping your personal messages and calls private by separating sponsored content from your personal communications.

Status Ads#

Status Ads offer businesses a new way to share sponsored content in the Status section. Ads appear between regular Statuses, seamlessly blending into the familiar format while still being clearly labeled as ads.

  • Users view ads the same way they view regular Statuses, by swiping forward or backward.
  • Ads can be quickly skipped with a single swipe.
  • If an advertiser’s content becomes intrusive, users can block them so that their ads no longer appear.

Promoted Channels#

Promoted Channels are another type of sponsored content designed to increase the visibility of public channels. They receive special placement in the channel catalog, which helps them attract new subscribers more effectively.

  • Visibility Boost. For example, a local restaurant could promote its new recipe channel on WhatsApp so that people browsing the catalog will see it at the top of search results.
  • Direct promotion. This approach allows creators, brands, and organizations to increase their visibility directly on WhatsApp, rather than relying on external platforms like Instagram or Facebook.
  • Sponsored label. When a channel is promoted, it includes a subtle label that clearly indicates to viewers that it is a paid promotion. This provides transparency, as users can immediately recognize sponsored content, rather than confusing it with organically discovered channels.

Separating Advertising and Personal Communication#

Sponsored content appears exclusively in the Updates tab, separate from personal chats, groups, communities, and calls.
When advertising features are enabled for an account, a banner appears at the top of the Updates tab informing the user that these features are available. When users tap the banner, they are given a detailed explanation of how these advertising tools work.

WhatsApp emphasizes that sponsored content is completely separate from personal conversations, and that personal messages, calls, and status updates are never used to generate advertising.
They remain protected by end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the participants in the conversation have access to the content, and not even WhatsApp can view or listen to these private messages.

Ad Activity Report and Advertiser Blocking#

Users can download an Activity Report dedicated to advertising, allowing them to view all the ads they have seen in Statuses and Channels over a period of time.
Each ad is listed with the date it was shown and the advertiser’s name, helping users recall their interactions.

Additionally, users can view their recent advertising activity and see the advertisers they have encountered, all accessible directly from the account settings.
From this screen, users can block advertisers, as well as block or report them directly when viewing an ad.

Privacy Protection#

It is important to note that WhatsApp never shares or sells users’ phone numbers to advertisers, and personal information remains completely inaccessible to them.

This strict privacy policy ensures that advertising remains separate from personal data.
With these protections, Status ads and promoted channels can provide businesses with opportunities to expand their reach without compromising user privacy.

As announced in the Android update article, these features are being rolled out gradually to ensure a stable experience and allow WhatsApp to monitor their integration before expanding availability to all users in the future.

The feature to serve ads in statuses and promoted channels in the Updates tab is available to some beta testers who have installed the latest version of WhatsApp beta for iOS from the TestFlight app, and will be rolling out to more people in the coming months.

Conclusion#

WhatsApp cares about its users by providing them with transparency and control over advertising content. The ability to block advertisers and view activity reports are important steps to protect privacy.

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