We’re Upgrading Your WhatsApp Group Chats
Meta announced updates to WhatsApp group chats, including enhanced polls, @all mentions, and the ability to create new groups from existing ones to streamline decision-making and communication.
WhatsApp is introducing three new poll features to improve group decision-making. Users can now set an end time to lock voting, hide voter names for privacy, and edit poll questions within 15 minutes of creation. These changes aim to reduce back-and-forth messages and make group coordination more efficient. The updates apply to all group chats, regardless of size.
The @all mention feature allows users to notify everyone in a group chat simultaneously, useful for urgent announcements like school closures or event deadlines. For groups with more than 32 members, only admins can use @all. Users can mute @all notifications in settings while still receiving alerts for other messages, maintaining control over their notification preferences.
A new option enables users to create a new group chat directly from an existing one with a single tap, simplifying the process of splitting off for side conversations. This feature is designed to help users organize discussions without cluttering the main group, such as planning surprise events or coordinating logistics. The change reduces the need to manually add participants one by one.
These updates follow earlier enhancements to WhatsApp group chats, including group message history, member tags, and event reminders. Meta states it remains committed to improving the group chat experience, positioning WhatsApp as a leading platform for group communication.