WhatsApp Tests a New Contacts Tab With Online Status and Birthday Reminders

WhatsApp is working on a new Contacts tab for Android that could make finding people and checking their availability easier. Instead of relying mainly on the existing chat list to locate someone, users may soon have a dedicated place to browse contacts, see who is online, search for people and check birthday reminders.

The feature has appeared in WhatsApp's Android beta version 2.26.40.3, according to WABetaInfo. It remains under development, meaning the design and available functions could change before a wider release. For now, ordinary users should not expect to find the new tab in their regular WhatsApp app.

A Dedicated Place to Find WhatsApp Contacts

The proposed Contacts tab moves contact discovery into a more visible position in WhatsApp's navigation bar. The idea is straightforward: users should be able to find the person they want without first searching through existing conversations.

The screen is expected to display the contact list with a search bar at the top. Users will reportedly be able to search by a person's name, phone number or username. That could be particularly useful for people who have many contacts and regularly communicate with friends, relatives, classmates or colleagues.

The change also reflects how WhatsApp is evolving beyond a simple messaging inbox. As the platform adds more ways to communicate and connect with people, a dedicated contact directory could make its growing range of features easier to navigate.

WhatsApp May Show Who Is Online

One of the most useful additions is an online-status indicator. Contacts who are currently online may appear with a small green dot on their profile photos, allowing users to identify people who are active on WhatsApp.

The contact list is also expected to offer sorting options. An activity-based view could place online contacts first, while alphabetical sorting would help users find someone by name. Together, these options could make the list more practical than scrolling through a long address book.

There is an important privacy distinction, however. The feature is not intended to override users' existing online-status settings. People who have hidden their online status should not suddenly become visible simply because WhatsApp introduces a dedicated Contacts screen.

That matters because making online activity easier to see also raises questions about privacy. The feature's usefulness will depend partly on how clearly WhatsApp respects the visibility choices users have already made.

Birthday Reminders Could Make the App More Personal

WhatsApp is also reportedly preparing birthday reminders within the new tab. When a contact has a birthday, the list may display a cake emoji alongside a “Birthday today” label.

The information is expected to come from birthday details saved in the phone's contacts. This means the feature's usefulness will depend on whether those details are available and accurate.

Although birthday reminders are a relatively small addition, they could make WhatsApp more useful for everyday social interactions. Users would have another way to notice an important date without relying entirely on a separate calendar or remembering it themselves.

The feature is still being developed, so the final appearance and behavior of these reminders may change before release.

An Easier Way to Invite People to WhatsApp

The proposed tab is also expected to include an option to invite people who have not yet joined WhatsApp. This gives the contact directory another purpose: helping users connect with people who are not already using the service.

Combined with search and online indicators, the invitation option could turn the Contacts tab into a central place for discovering and managing connections rather than simply displaying names and numbers.

WhatsApp has not yet publicly confirmed all the details of this feature, so its final layout and the exact options available at launch remain uncertain.

When Will the New WhatsApp Contacts Tab Arrive?

There is no confirmed public release date for the new Contacts tab. Its appearance in a beta build indicates that WhatsApp is developing and testing the feature, not that it is ready for everyone.

Beta features can remain in development for some time, change substantially or be delayed before a wider rollout. Users should therefore avoid assuming that installing the latest stable version will automatically unlock the new interface.

For now, the safest expectation is that WhatsApp is experimenting with a more contact-focused Android experience. The company has not announced a definitive rollout schedule for this particular feature.

What the Update Could Mean for WhatsApp Users

The Contacts tab may not be the most dramatic WhatsApp update, but its practical value could come from bringing several small conveniences together. Searching for a person, checking online availability, finding a birthday and inviting someone to the platform are different tasks that could become easier from a single screen.

The biggest question is whether WhatsApp can make the new section genuinely useful without cluttering its navigation bar. Users who primarily open the app to reply to messages may not need another tab, while those who frequently start new conversations could benefit from having contacts more readily accessible.

For now, the feature remains a work in progress. If WhatsApp releases it broadly, the dedicated directory could become a useful addition to the app—but its final design, availability and behavior will determine how much it improves the everyday experience.

Sources

• WABetaInfo — WhatsApp Is Testing a New Contacts Tab on Android
• GSMArena — WhatsApp Is Creating a New Contacts Tab in Its App
• Gadgets 360 — WhatsApp Could Get a New Contacts Tab With Online Status and Birthday Reminders