WhatsApp Finally Adds Highly Requested Group Feature
▼ Summary
– WhatsApp is rolling out a new “Group Message History” feature to help new members catch up on recent conversations.
– When adding someone, admins can choose to share 25 to 100 recent messages, providing relevant context without overwhelming them.
– For transparency, the entire group is notified when history is shared, and these messages have distinct visual formatting and clear timestamps.
– The feature is not automatic; it requires a manual action, and group admins have the option to disable it entirely for privacy.
– This update follows other recent group chat enhancements like member tags, text stickers, and event reminders.
Joining a new group chat can often feel like walking into the middle of a conversation. You’re left scrambling to piece together the context from scattered replies, missing the flow of what came before. WhatsApp is directly addressing this common frustration with the global rollout of its new Group Message History feature, a tool the company highlights as one of its most requested by users. This update provides a straightforward way to bring new members up to speed without overwhelming them.
The functionality is intentionally simple. When an admin adds someone to a group, they will now see an option to share a selection of recent messages with the newcomer. Admins can choose to send a snapshot of the last 25, 50, or up to 100 messages, allowing them to provide just the right amount of recent context. This ensures new participants can quickly understand the current topic or ongoing plans without needing to request a recap from the entire group.
For the sake of clarity and privacy, the process is designed to be transparent. The feature does not share any message history automatically; it requires a deliberate action from the person adding the new member. Furthermore, when history is shared, everyone in the group receives a notification. The shared messages appear with clear timestamps and sender information, and they are visually distinct from new, live conversations, so there’s no confusion about what is past and what is present.
Group administrators also retain full control over the tool. If a chat involves sensitive or private discussions, admins have the option to completely disable the Group Message History feature for that specific group. This ensures that for certain conversations, no historical messages can be shared at all, giving users peace of mind.
This introduction follows several other recent enhancements to WhatsApp groups. Last month, the platform rolled out additional features including the ability to tag specific members, create text-based stickers, and set up event reminders directly within a chat. Together, these updates continue to refine the group experience, making coordination and communication smoother for its billions of users worldwide.
(Source: 9to5Mac)
