WhatsApp has introduced new features for group chats, including improved polls, the new @all mention option, and a simpler way to create new group chats from existing groups. Announcing the updates, the company noted that more than 100 million people in the U.S. use WhatsApp, while the platform has over 3 billion users globally.
WhatsApp new group chat updates
- Improved polls: WhatsApp has added new controls for polls in group chats. Users can now set an end time to automatically close voting, hide voter names to keep preferences private and edit poll questions within 15 minutes of creation to fix typos or add clarification.
- @all mentions: The new @all feature allows users to notify all members in a group chat at once instead of tagging participants individually. It can be used for time-sensitive updates such as school or office closures, event deadlines and last-minute changes to plans. In groups with more than 32 members, @all is available only to admins. The notification also works in muted group chats, while users can manage and mute @all alerts through notification settings.
- Create groups from existing chats: Users can create a new group chat with people from an existing group without adding participants individually. The feature allows users to start separate conversations for specific topics, such as planning events, coordinating logistics, or discussing a topic without adding messages to the main group chat.
Earlier group chat updates introduced features such as group message history, member tags, and event reminders.
Availability
The new group chat features are rolling out to WhatsApp users globally and will become available gradually.