A WhatsApp-style Android interface showing a Contacts hub with a list of contacts marked online.
WhatsApp is developing an Android Contacts hub that would show which of your contacts are online, giving Android users a faster way to spot active chats. The feature is still under development and is not yet available for beta testing.
Android’s new online-contacts hub
The planned feature centers on a list, or hub, of online contacts rather than a manual check inside each individual chat. In its current form, it is aimed at Android and is described as a Contacts hub that surfaces who is online in one place.
At the moment, users who want to check whether someone is available generally have to open that person’s chat. The new hub would reduce that step by putting online status into a single view.
Faster timing for active chats
The practical use case is straightforward: if you can see who is currently online, you can send a message when that person is more likely to see it and respond.
That makes the feature about timing, not about a new messaging mode or a broader redesign of WhatsApp’s chat system. It is a visibility change built around active contacts and quicker conversation starts.
Rollout status and open questions
WhatsApp has not put the feature into beta testing yet, so release timing remains unclear. It is also not confirmed whether the Contacts hub name will stick through launch or whether the final interface will change.
Availability beyond Android is also unknown for now. For the moment, the clearest detail is the core function: a place in WhatsApp where users can quickly see which contacts are online.
Disclaimer: This article was created with the assistance of AI. Images are for illustrative purposes only.
About the author
Samarth Agrawal is an AI and technology professional who writes about WhatsApp, automation, and emerging AI trends. He focuses on simplifying complex tech updates into practical insights for businesses, creators, and everyday users
