After years of providing free services without any bells attached, WhatsApp is now going to start showing ads on the popular chat app. To be clear, users will only see ads on the Status screen — the app’s take on Instagram’s Stories.

WhatsApp introduces ads in the Status tab, shifting from its original ad-free promise while maintaining encrypted messaging and calls.

WhatsApp is testing ads in Status and paid channel subscriptions, all inside the Updates tab. Private messages remain encrypted and ad-free.

WhatsApp’s Updates tab features let you reach 1.5 billion daily users through promoted channels, subscriptions, and Status ads.

For years, WhatsApp resisted the advertising model even as its parent company heavily monetised its other platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

WhatsApp is finally getting adsThey'll appear in the Updates tab, integrated with Statuses and ChannelsRegular chats won't be affected by the chnages, and are still private It’s official, WhatsApp’s latest update is bringing ads to the platform.

The cofounders of WhatsApp resisted ads in the app for years, including after the company was acquired by Meta for $22 billion in 2014. Brian Acton and Jan Koum left the company in 2017 and 2018, respectively, and on Monday Meta introduced ads in the “Status” feature as well as sponsored Channels in the the “Updates” tab of WhatsApp.

The Updates tab, which holds layers such as Status and Channels, will host Meta’s WhatsApp monetisation efforts. At least for now.