2 ways to remove new WhatsApp Status update feature from Non-Rooted and Rooted Android

WhatsApp is known for its simplicity and is one of the most popular Android and iOS chatting application in the market. Its phenomenal user interface makes it cool, quick, and easily to use. Throughout these years, the messaging app has gone through tons of changes and introduced features like two-step verification, GIF videos, free video, and voice calling. ย The newly introduced and popular Instagram and Snapchat stories have also been included into WhatsApp with a new feature called โ€˜WhatsApp Statusโ€™. Not many like the new Whatsapp status update and we will jump right into it and tell you how to remove it from your Android device regardless the device is rooted or not.

Moreover, the new Status feature allows you to shareย photos, videos, and GIFs over your status update replacing your old text-based statuses. However,ย not everyone is a fan of this new Status feature including me. So, if you love the older status more and want it back on your device, here are two ways we gonnaย show you how you can do that.

Remove WhatsApp status on Non-Rooted phones by reverting back to older version

Note: We have tested the followingย methods on the 2.17.60 version and it is working perfectly fine for us. However, it may or may not work for you. It is important to note that after installing the older version, you have to turn off theย auto update app settings from the Play Store. As this is a server-side update, it may sometimes fail to show the older status.

To get back to the old status, you just have to install any of the older WhatsApp version. A lot of older versions are available on the APKMirror and you can download and install it from the same. Moreover, you can also use this version. Toย download, head over to this direct link-> WhatsApp Apk

whatsapp apk

whatsapp status

After installing, just follow the regular steps to set up your WhatsApp account. Doing so will take you back to the older features like- Call, Chats and Contacts. Although this hack is working fine at the moment, keep this in mind no hack has a permanent solution. Eventually, WhatsApp is known for removing support for its older builds.

Disable the new WhatsApp status update and revert back to old status [Root method]

The two important things that you need to remember is that you need a rooted Android device and a root file explorer to access the WhatsApp XML file. If you donโ€™t have a rooted device, then this hack wonโ€™t work for you or if you donโ€™t know how to root you device, just head over to this simple step by step tutorial on how to root the same โ€“>ย 3 ways to Root Nexus devices

We have tested this method for the latest version 2.17.81 and it is worked perfectly fine for us. Once you have rooted your device, the next important thing you need is a root explorer. Here, we are using ES File Explorer which you can download from the play store. It is free and very easy to use, so it is recommended you use the same. Now, you can follow the steps as given below, also make sure that you do not edit anything else.

Screenshot 20170225 174918

Step 1: ย The first step is to Force stop the WhatsApp messenger.

  • To do so, go to the settings->Apps->WhatsApp-> Force Stop.

Screenshot 20170225 200733ย Screenshot 20170225 200733

Step 2:ย It is very important to unlock the root explorer so you can edit the XML files. To enable the root excess from the ES File Explorer and give it read and write commands.

  • Go to the ES File Explorer menu or any file explorer-> find the Root Explorer and Enable it-> once you hit enable the app will ask you for certain permissions-> choose RW and press Ok

Step 3:ย  After enabling the root explorer you can now access the data files. Now its time to open the WhatsApp data folder.

  • Search for the local option in the menu->Open the device folder-> open the data folder-> ย com.whatsapp->ย shared_prefs folder.

how to access device folder from es explorer

Step 4:ย This step brings us one stepย closer to our required hack. Now its time to edit theย shared_prefs folder.

  • Open theย shared_prefs folder-> tap on theย com.whatsapp_preferences.xmlย file-> now open the file in ES Note editor-> when the file open hit the 3 dot option to edit it

Or here is the full path-ย For Root Explorers, open the file

/data/data/com.whatsapp/shared_prefs/com.whatsapp_preferences.xml'

Step 5:ย Now the final step to our hack is to replace the code.

  • To do so, in com.whatsapp_preferences.xmlย file search for the text that says- โ€˜Status_modeโ€™
  • Once you find it simply replace the value from 1 to 0.

Replace

<int name="status_mode" value="1"/>

to

<int name="status_mode" value="0"/>
  • Once done save the XML file.

Now when you open WhatsApp, every new feature will be gone like the WhatsApp Status and the GIF videos. Now you can use your old status they way you like to.

Verdict: Following these steps, you will get the old status back. We tried this hack for the latest version 2.17.81. However, as we said no hack is permanent or it may or may not work for the future WhatsApp versions. You will have to follow the same steps again. If you want your old status feature back, just give it a shot and if you face any problems reach out to us via the comments section.


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