WhatsApp Update: Share 100 Chats with New Groups | 14-Day Limit

WhatsApp to Empower Group Admins with Selective Chat History Sharing

Meta is rolling out a new feature to a limited number of beta testers that will allow group administrators on WhatsApp to selectively share recent chat history with new members,enhancing onboarding and context for newcomers. The update, frist reported by WABetaInfo, addresses a common user need for streamlined group introductions and promises greater transparency in how information is disseminated within the popular messaging app.

Currently available on TestFlight for a small cohort of users, the feature enables admins to share up to 100 of the most recent messages from the past 14 days with individuals newly added to a group. This functionality aims to quickly familiarize new participants with ongoing conversations and crucial details,a process often cumbersome without access to prior exchanges.

Did you know? – WhatsApp currently has over two billion users worldwide,making it one of the most popular messaging apps globally. This new feature aims to improve the experience for its large user base.

Streamlining Group Onboarding

The ability to share chat history isn’t entirely novel among instant messaging platforms,but its implementation within WhatsApp represents a critically important step toward improving the user experience for larger groups. According to the report, messages shared through this feature will be visually distinguished with a unique color highlight, making them easily identifiable for new members.

To access the feature, beta testers are instructed to navigate to the group information screen and select the “Add Members” option.Following the selection of a contact, an option to share recent messages will appear, allowing the admin to choose the quantity of messages to share – ranging from a select few to the maximum of 100.

Pro tip – When adding new members,consider sharing a range of messages that represent different conversation threads to provide a comprehensive overview of the group’s activity.

Transparency and Security at the Forefront

Meta is prioritizing transparency with this update,acknowledging the potential for sharing chat history without the explicit consent of all group members. To address this, WhatsApp will automatically post a notification within the group chat, clearly indicating which member shared the recent messages. This ensures all participants are aware of the information provided to newcomers.

Crucially, the process leverages existing security protocols. “This sharing process uses messages and encryption keys on the device of the user who is adding the new member,” the report details. All shared messages will retain end-to-end encryption, guaranteeing secure transmission to new group members, consistent with WhatsApp’s established privacy standards.

Why: Meta is introducing this feature to improve the onboarding experience for new WhatsApp group members, making it easier for them to catch up on ongoing conversations.
Who: The feature is currently available to a limited number of beta testers on both TestFlight (iOS) and Android platforms. It is intended for use by WhatsApp group administrators.
What: The update allows group admins to share the last 100 messages (within a 14-day window) with new members. Shared messages are visually highlighted.
How did it end?: The feature is currently in testing and does not have a confirmed public release date, but parallel testing on Android suggests a wider rollout is likely in the near future. The process uses existing encryption protocols to ensure security.