Monday, July 7, 2025

September 7, 2021

You Will Soon Be Able To Hide WhatsApp ‘Last Seen’ Info From Your Boss

In an upcoming update, WhatsApp will allow users to block specific contacts from viewing certain information.

[imagesource: Nurphoto / Getty Images]

Chances are you have your boss saved as a contact on your phone.

This means that, just like everybody else, they can see when last you were using WhatsApp.

Well, there is an obvious way to stop that from happening.

You can turn off your ‘last seen’ info on WhatsApp, which we’ll rehash once more:

  • Open WhatsApp.
  • Click on the three vertical dots in the upper right-hand corner.
  • Tap on Settings.
  • From the Settings menu, select Account.
  • Next, tap on Privacy.
  • Choose Last Seen from the list of options.
  • In the pop-up window, choose Nobody.

The important word above is ‘Nobody’, meaning it’s an all or nothing approach.

That is about to change, as MyBroadband reports that WhatsApp will soon allow users to block specific contacts from viewing certain information:

In a future update, WhatsApp users will be able to hide profile information such as “Profile Picture”, “Last Seen”, and “About” from specific contacts.

Image: WABetaInfo

WABetaInfo released images of the iOS beta showing the option to hide “Last Seen” information from “My Contacts Except…” indicating that users can block specific contacts from viewing the information.

Notably, the system is reciprocal. If a user hides information from a specific contact, WhatsApp will hide their information in return.

Why would you want to turn this off specifically in relation to your boss?

Let’s say you don’t arrive at work, they open WhatsApp, and your ‘Last Seen’ info reveals you were messaging in the wee, wee hours.

Or let’s say you tell your boss you were unable to get in touch at a certain time, but meanwhile, your ‘Last Seen’ info says otherwise.

It’s great that friends and family can check to see when you were last using WhatsApp, but possibly less so when your boss can.

Choosing who can and can’t see this info will also be great for cutting off snooping exes, or friends who ‘just don’t think you should be staying up until 3AM on a weeknight’.

You get the drift.

Bring it on, WhatsApp.

You can find out how to turn off your ‘Read Receipts’ here.

[source:mybb]