Meta confirms ads are coming to the Updates tab on WhatsApp

Meta is changing the WhatsApp experience—and not everyone will like it. The world’s most popular messaging app will soon start showing ads in a section called Updates. This marks the platform’s first big shift toward monetisation through in-app advertising.

The change doesn’t affect your personal chats or group messages. For now, the ads will stay tucked inside the Updates feed, where users view statuses and follow one-way broadcast channels.

A Big Turn from WhatsApp’s Original Promise

When WhatsApp launched, it had one clear rule—no ads. That policy helped the app grow quickly, offering users a private, distraction-free space to talk. But that promise is now being rewritten.

Meta, which owns WhatsApp, says the shift is about helping creators and businesses grow on the app. But for regular users, it’s a clear sign that WhatsApp is no longer the quiet, ad-free zone it used to be.

What Will These Ads Look Like?

The ads will not pop up in your conversations or calls. Instead, they’ll appear only in the Updates section, which over a billion people visit every day.

To show relevant ads, WhatsApp will collect limited data like your device language and location. However, Meta insists that messages will remain end-to-end encrypted, and it won’t scan who you talk to or what you say.

“We built this with privacy in mind,” a WhatsApp executive said. “Messages stay encrypted. Ads won’t touch that part of the app.”

Paid Subscriptions and Business Push

Alongside ads, WhatsApp is also testing monthly subscriptions for creators. This will allow channel owners to earn by offering exclusive content, much like creators do on platforms like YouTube or Telegram.

Businesses will also get new tools to promote their channels through ads—turning WhatsApp into more than just a messaging app. It’s starting to feel more like a social platform.

Why Meta Needs This Now

Meta is under pressure to find new revenue. With growing investments in AI and other long-term bets, the company is turning to its massive user base for returns.

WhatsApp has stayed ad-free for over a decade, but that made it an untapped goldmine. Meta already earns from WhatsApp through “Click to Message” ads on Facebook and Instagram. Now, it wants to bring ad revenue directly into the app.

Digital ad expert Brian Wieser calls this a “first of its kind” opportunity—monetising a private messaging platform at massive scale.

Privacy Concerns Haven’t Gone Away

This move is also bringing back old worries. In 2021, WhatsApp faced backlash over a terms update that many believed would allow more data sharing with Facebook. It led to a user exodus and forced the company to clarify its stance.

This time, WhatsApp is being cautious. But many users—especially in countries where secure messaging is vital—may view the introduction of ads as a breach of trust.

The message is clear: WhatsApp is evolving, and the experience may never be the same.