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Watch out WhatsApp users, ads are coming!

The Updates tab is undergoing major changes that will also enable the display of ads for users who utilize this feature.

By Cosmin Vasile

Published: Jun 16, 2025, 11:54 AM

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WhatsApp is trying to help users find more channels and businesses using ads | Image credit: WhatsApp

WhatsApp was probably one of the few messaging apps that didn’t serve its users ads, but that’s about to change. Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has just announced that the messaging app will start showing ads in Status and Channels, but not on any of your personal chats.

In a blog post highlighting the latest changes coming to WhatsApp, the messaging app reveals important new features for the Updates tab, which is home to both Channels and Status. According to WhatsApp, these changes are meant “to help admins, organizations, and businesses grow on WhatsApp.”

That said, if you’re not using the Updates tab in any way, you will not be affected by these changes (hopefully!). But if you do, here is what the latest update will add to the app in the coming days:

Channel subscriptions: You’ll be able to support your favorite channel by subscribing to receive exclusive updates for a monthly fee.
Promoted Channels: We’ll help you discover new channels that might be interesting to you when you’re looking through the directory. For the first time, admins have a way to increase their Channel's visibility.
Ads in Status: You’ll be able to find a new business and easily start a conversation with them about a product or service they’re promoting in Status.

Once again, these new features will only be visible on the Updates tab, so if you’re just using WhatsApp to chat with friends and loved ones, there’s obviously no change to your experience at all.

Watch out WhatsApp users, ads are coming!

Ads will only be displayed on the Updates tab at first | Image credit: WhatsApp

As far as the ads go, WhatsApp says that it will use limited info like country or city, language, the Channels the user is following, and how they interact with the ads they see, in order to serve them ads that might be of interest to them.

Besides that, WhatsApp mentions that for those who have chosen to add WhatsApp to Accounts Center, it will use their ad preferences and info from across their Meta accounts.

For security reasons, WhatsApp will not sell or share users’ phone numbers to advertisers. Also, the messaging app says it will not use your personal messages, calls and groups you are in to determine the ads you may see.

At first glance, this doesn’t seem so bad for those who only use WhatsApp to chat with friends and family, but it does look like the first step toward a more aggressive implementation of ads.

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Cosmin, a tech journalist with a career spanning over a decade, brings a wealth of experience to PhoneArena. His expertise lies in brands like Samsung and Nokia, and he has a keen interest in innovative technologies. After a brief stint in PR, Cosmin returned to tech journalism in 2016, committed to delivering clear and objective news. When he's not writing or appearing as a guest on TV and radio shows, Cosmin enjoys playing RPGs, watching Netflix, and nurturing his passion for history and travel.

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