Last checked . Picks are based on the prices, rates, fees and terms each provider publishes, checked at the source. We never rank products by commission. See how we’re funded.
WhatsApp group chat features have been a steady focus of the company’s announcements in 2026. WhatsApp’s own blog has described new group tools in January, February, August and October, from member tags to message history for new members. The latest post, published Oct. 29, adds pins that last forever, group status, and a filter for mentions and replies. This guide gathers every WhatsApp group chat feature those four posts describe, explains how each one works, and flags what WhatsApp has not said.
The WhatsApp group chat features announced in 2026
The table lists each post and the group tools it covers. All details come from WhatsApp’s blog, and none of the posts gives a full rollout schedule.
| Post date | Feature | What WhatsApp says |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 7 | Member tags | A member can add a role tag that is set separately in each group |
| Jan. 7 | Text stickers | Any word typed into Sticker Search becomes a sticker |
| Jan. 7 | Event reminders | The sender of an event can set custom early reminders for invitees |
| Feb. 19 | Group message history | Sends 25 to 100 recent messages to a new member |
| Aug. 4 | @all | Alerts everyone in a group, with limits in large groups |
| Aug. 4 | Poll options | End time, hidden voter names and edits within 15 minutes |
| Aug. 4 | New group from an existing group | Starts a second group from current members in one tap |
| Oct. 29 | Pins, group status, history after joining, mentions filter | Four updates, covered below |
How message history works in a WhatsApp group chat
WhatsApp’s post on group message history says the feature replaces the habit of screenshotting or forwarding old messages to a new member. Sharing is not automatic. The post says sending history is an action a person has to take, and the table sets out the rules it gives.
| Item | What WhatsApp says |
|---|---|
| When the option appears | After a new member is added to a WhatsApp group chat |
| How much can be sent | 25 to 100 recent messages |
| Who is told | Everyone in the group is notified when history is sent |
| What the notice shows | Timestamps and who sent the history; shared messages look different from regular ones |
| Encryption | Shared history stays end-to-end encrypted |
| Admin controls | Admins can turn the setting off for their group and can always share history |
| Rollout | Gradual, and still in progress when the post was written |
The Oct. 29 post adds two changes. A toggle now lets the person adding a member decide at that moment whether to send recent messages. After the member has joined, the history can still be sent by tapping that person’s name in the chat. The February post carries an October update saying WhatsApp is testing ways to share history with fewer taps, and that people can always choose not to send it.
Pins, group status and the mentions filter
The Oct. 29 post lists four updates. Pinned messages in a WhatsApp group chat no longer need a time limit, so an important message can stay pinned indefinitely. The post does not say what time limits WhatsApp offered before or whether they remain available as options.
Group status lets a member share a casual status update with one WhatsApp group chat instead of with everyone. Members of that group can view it, react to it and post their own, and, like regular statuses, group statuses disappear after 24 hours. The mentions and replies filter shows unread conversations in a WhatsApp group chat where the user was mentioned or received a direct reply. WhatsApp says it also includes @all messages.
The post also lists three more tips: reply privately to one person in a group without starting a side chat in the main thread, turn off Allow multiple answers when creating a poll that needs one definitive answer, and use member tags to show a role in each group.
@all, polls and one-tap spin-off groups
WhatsApp’s Aug. 4 post describes @all as an alert to everyone in a WhatsApp group chat for urgent or time-sensitive messages, such as a closure, a deadline or a last-minute change of plan. It comes with these limits.
| Item | What WhatsApp says |
|---|---|
| Groups of 32 people or fewer | No admin-only limit is stated |
| Groups larger than 32 | Available to admins only |
| A muted WhatsApp group chat | The alert still comes through |
| Turning it off | Each user can mute @all in notification settings at any time |
The same post lists three poll changes: an end time that locks voting when it passes, an option to hide voter names, and edits to the poll question within 15 minutes of posting. A third addition creates a new WhatsApp group chat from an existing one in one tap, without adding members one at a time. WhatsApp’s example is planning a surprise party without cluttering the main chat.
Member tags, text stickers and event reminders
WhatsApp’s January post says a member tag shows a person’s role in a WhatsApp group chat and can be different in each one. The example it gives is “Anna’s Dad” in one group and “Goalkeeper” in another. Text stickers are made by typing a word into Sticker Search, and a new sticker can be added straight to a sticker pack without first being sent in a chat. For events sent in a WhatsApp group chat, the sender can set custom early reminders so invitees leave on time or join a call at the right moment.
Size and admin basics for a WhatsApp group chat
WhatsApp’s groups page says one WhatsApp group chat can hold up to 1,000 people and that admins choose who can add and remove members. It also lists events with RSVP tracking, scheduled group calls with call links and screen sharing, and disappearing messages. WhatsApp describes message history as a way to catch new members up, not as a backup, and readers who want a backup can start with the Jolt Journal’s guide to backing up a phone. Another recent WhatsApp guide covers the official WhatsApp app on Apple Watch.
What WhatsApp’s posts leave open
The Oct. 29 post gives no steps for pinning, creating a group status or switching on the mentions filter. It also gives no rollout dates, regions or supported platforms, so a feature may not appear for every user yet. The August post does not describe the earlier tools it mentions, and none of the four posts says whether group status has audience controls beyond choosing a group. Anyone who cannot find an option in a WhatsApp group chat can check that the app is on its latest version and wait, since WhatsApp describes the history rollout as gradual.
Editor’s take
Most of these tools reduce the same two problems: new members missing context, and important messages scrolling out of view. Message history is the one with a privacy trade-off, since WhatsApp says the whole group is told when it is used. Admins who run a large WhatsApp group chat have the clearest checklist: decide whether to leave history on, and remember that @all becomes admin-only once a group passes 32 people.
This is general information based on WhatsApp’s announcements. Features roll out gradually and WhatsApp’s own pages have the final word.
