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In a move to enhance user engagement and bring its Status feature closer to Instagram Stories, WhatsApp is introducing several new updates aimed at making sharing more expressive and interactive. While none of these tools are exactly new to Meta’s ecosystem, they are significant additions to WhatsApp, giving users more creative freedom while posting updates.

In a recent blog post, Meta stated, “Whether you’re sharing the everyday moments that make up your life or a big occasion, we hope these new features give you even more ways to bring those closest to you along and up to date on what’s happening.”

Here’s a look at what’s new with WhatsApp Status:

1. Layout Feature: Create Photo Collages

WhatsApp users can now share multiple images in a single status update using a new Layout feature. This tool enables the creation of photo collages with up to six images, arranged using pre-designed templates — a feature very similar to Instagram’s layout options. This makes it easier for users to share a full visual story at once.

2. Music Status and Stickers

Taking a cue from Instagram, WhatsApp now allows users to post a music-only status. Whether you’re sharing your current mood or a song that resonates with you, you can now do it with style. The update also includes the ability to add music stickers — giving users the option to tag a song directly onto their status, enhancing emotional expression through music.

3. Photo Stickers for Status

A new editing tool lets users convert any photo into a customizable sticker that can be resized and shaped before posting. This adds a new visual layer to WhatsApp Status, allowing more personalized and dynamic updates.

4. ‘Add Yours’ Sticker Goes Live

One of Instagram’s most interactive features — the ‘Add Yours’ sticker — is coming to WhatsApp. Users can now share a prompt or question and invite friends or contacts to respond with their own status updates. This social, chain-reaction type feature encourages more community-driven interaction and storytelling on the app.

Gradual Rollout Ahead

Meta confirmed that these updates will be rolled out gradually over the coming weeks. Not all users will receive the features at once, so it’s advised to keep the WhatsApp app updated to the latest version to ensure early access.

These enhancements are part of WhatsApp’s broader strategy to transform Status from a simple update tool into a richer, more interactive storytelling platform, drawing inspiration from sibling app Instagram’s most successful features.

Bhupendra singh chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur kiranhis insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.