Since mid‑2025, WhatsApp has started rolling out advertisements — but not where you chat with friends. The new ads appear in the “Updates” tab, specifically in the “Status” and “Channels” sections. This marks a major shift for a platform that historically avoided in‑app ads. In this post, I’m breaking down what this means for you and how you can manage the ad experience.
What’s Changing: Ads in Status & Channels
WhatsApp’s “Updates” tab — used by about 1.5 billion people daily — has become the space for ads, promoted channels, and optional subscriptions.
- Status Ads: Ads will now appear among the regular Status updates shared by your contacts — similar to the “Stories” format on other platforms. These sponsored posts are labelled clearly as “Sponsored” so you can distinguish them from personal updates.
- Promoted Channels & Subscriptions: The Channels directory may show “Promoted Channels” — i.e. those paying for greater visibility — and there’s also a possibility of paid subscriptions for exclusive content.
Importantly, your private chats, group messages, voice calls — everything remains ad‑free and end‑to‑end encrypted.
Why Ads — and What Data WhatsApp Uses
After being largely ad-free for years, WhatsApp’s parent company Meta is now monetizing the platform. Given WhatsApp’s massive user base, the “Updates” tab is a logical place to do so without disrupting private chats.
As for ad targeting, Meta says it’s using only “limited” information — nothing from your individual messages, calls, group chats or contacts. Instead, the data used includes:
- General location (country or city)
- Device language
- Which Channels you follow
- Content and ads you interact with on Status or Channels
If you link WhatsApp with other Meta apps (via Accounts Center), ad preferences from across those apps may also influence which ads you see.
Meta also says they will not sell or share your phone number with advertisers — and your messages remain private and encrypted.
What Users Are Saying
- On one Reddit thread, a user summed it up plainly: “If you’re only using WhatsApp for personal messaging, you won’t see ads. Ads will only appear in the Updates tab, in Status and Channels, separate from your personal chats and calls.”
- Another user said they appreciated the segregation: “This is ONLY in status and channel suggestions screen”
Still, some users feel it’s a slippery slope — worrying that over time ads could become more intrusive, or that this signals a gradual shift away from WhatsApp’s original private‑messaging focus.
How You Can Manage or Limit What Ads You See
If you want to control how ads appear in your WhatsApp, here’s what you can do:
- Go to Settings → Accounts Center → Ad preferences — this lets you manage how your data across Meta apps (if connected) is used for ad targeting.
- When you see a Status ad you don’t like, tap the three-dot menu or “More options,” then choose “Hide ad” or “Report ad”.
- For ads in Channels (promoted channels), you can also choose to hide those suggested channels if you don’t want to see them.
- If you rarely use the “Updates” tab — only chat privately — the impact may be minimal, as ads won’t show up in your chats.
What It Means for Privacy & User Experience
This move attempts a balance: monetizing WhatsApp without intruding on user privacy. By limiting ads to the Updates tab and excluding private chats from ad targeting, Meta says it’s preserving the core of what made WhatsApp popular.
Still, for long‑time users who appreciated WhatsApp’s ad‑free history, this will feel like a shift. For those open to seeing occasional sponsored posts — especially if it helps them discover businesses or services — this may be a small price to pay.
My Take
As someone who uses WhatsApp both for personal chats and keeping up with channels and updates — I see the new ads as a cautious compromise. Ads are not in private chats, so the core messaging experience remains intact. Yet, if I value privacy and minimal distractions, I’ll probably tweak my ad preferences, hide unwanted ads, and use Updates tab sparingly.
If you ask me — treat ads on WhatsApp as a “silent guest”: there if you look at Status/Channels, but largely out of the way otherwise.
Disclaimer: This blog reflects my interpretation of publicly available information at the time of writing. Features for WhatsApp — including ad placements and privacy settings — may evolve over time. Always check official WhatsApp settings and announcements for the most up‑to‑date information.