WhatsApp Starts Showing Ads In Status And Channels, Here's What You Can Do Right Now

Meta-owned popular instant messaging platform WhatsApp has quietly begun rolling out ads inside the app for more users and this is one of the biggest changes the platform has seen in years.According to

media reports, many users in India and other regions are now seeing advertisements inside the Updates tab — specifically within Status and Channels. Regular chats remain completely ad-free for now, but the move clearly signals Meta’s push to monetise WhatsApp further. Over the past few days, many users have reported spotting promotional posts mixed between regular Status updates or appearing inside followed Channels. Some also received in-app notifications informing them about WhatsApp’s new advertising policy. Meta had earlier confirmed that ads would eventually come to WhatsApp Status, and the rollout now seems to be expanding in phases.According to WhatsApp, these ads are designed to help people discover businesses and start conversations around products and services directly inside the app. The company says that nothing from private chats, calls or statuses will be used for ad targeting, as these remain end-to-end encrypted. Instead, ads will be shown based on factors like user location, device language and interactions inside Channels or Status.While many users have expressed frustration, WhatsApp claims that ads can be controlled to some extent. Users get an option to manage ad preferences, hide specific ads or even report them if they find them irrelevant or intrusive.

How To Manage WhatsApp Ad Preferences

- You can manage WhatsApp ads by opening Settings, going to Accounts Centre, then Account Settings, and finally Ad Preferences, where you can control the types of ads you see. - If a Status ad appears, tap the three-dot menu and choose Hide ad. - For Channel ads, tap the Sponsored tag to hide or manage them. You can also report ads that feel irrelevant or inappropriate..