For the first time in over a decade, WhatsApp is adding ads.

Yes, the platform that has long stood for simplicity, privacy, and zero ads is opening its doors to advertisers. But don’t worry, the private messages and group chats aren’t suddenly going to be overrun with ads.

Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, said that the ads will only show up under the “Updates” tab. That’s where you can post Status updates or follow Channels related to your interests. In other words, the ad experience will be kept separate from your main chat screen.

Meta estimates that more than 1.5 billion people use the Updates tab every day. That’s a huge number — and an opportunity for brands to get seen. But if you only use WhatsApp to message friends or family, you might never see an ad.

Still, it’s a big shift.

Ads will show up in three places. The first is in the Status section — where users share photos, videos, or messages that disappear after 24 hours. So, alongside your friends’ updates, you could also see content from advertisers. And here’s the cool part: you can reply to the status ads and start a chat with the business directly on WhatsApp.

The second ad format is called Promoted Channels. For the first time, Channel admins — whether they’re a news outlet, a brand, or a content creator — can pay to increase their reach. It’s a clear move to help businesses grow within WhatsApp’s own ecosystem.

And then there’s the subscription option. Businesses can now sell paid Channels, where subscribers get exclusive content. So, a cooking channel could send out premium recipes to paying followers. It’s another way for creators and businesses to make money on the platform.

But now that ads are coming, people have questions. Especially when they show up on a platform like WhatsApp, which so many people use for private and secure communication.

So, How much of your Data is Being Used?

Meta said the targeting will be based on basic info — things like your country code, age, device language settings, and your approximate location (not your exact GPS). Plus, it will consider how you use the Updates tab. The Channels you follow. The content you interact with. Even how you react to ads you see.

But don’t worry — your actual chat content? Still encrypted. Still private.

You can also link your WhatsApp to its broader Accounts Center, which pools data from Facebook and Instagram to serve more relevant ads. The feature is off by default. And you can opt out at any time.

Then there’s a layer of control. You can see why a particular ad was shown to you. Adjust your ad preferences. Block or report ads you think are invasive or irrelevant. So, while ads are coming — you still have some control.

Behind all of this is Meta’s broader push to monetize WhatsApp.

Until now, most of the company’s revenue from WhatsApp came from its Business Platform, which lets brands pay to interact with customers. There were also click-to-chat ads on Facebook and Instagram that sent people to WhatsApp.

But in a recent investor call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg hinted at the larger plan. He said the Business Platform was doing well — but there’s still more room to grow. And now, by bringing ads directly into the WhatsApp app, Meta is moving in that direction.

That’s the natural evolution of the product. Businesses have been asking for this for a while, and we’re happy to enable that. Alice Newton Rex, WhatsApp’s VP of Product

That’s what Alice Newton Rex, WhatsApp’s VP of Product, said in an interview with The Verge. She called this move the “natural evolution” of the platform. Brands were asking for more tools to grow and connect — and Meta is answering that call.

It’s also worth noting that WhatsApp isn’t the only platform going through this shift.

Discord started showing ads in 2021. Reddit just turned its first profit — and advertisers helped drive that growth. Social platforms across the board are prioritizing monetization as the digital ad market shifts.

WhatsApp may have waited over a decade to add ads. But with Meta now looking to capitalize on its full potential — and with 98% of Meta’s revenue already coming from ads — it’s not that surprising.

For now, the ad experience on WhatsApp is pretty light. But it’s unlikely to stay that way forever.

So, while your chats are still private and your messaging experience isn’t changing much — it’s clear that WhatsApp is moving into a new era. One where business meets conversation, and ads quietly fit into a platform that promised they’d never show up.