WhatsApp allows users share group chat history with new members: Details

WhatsApp adds Group Message History feature that lets users share up to 100 recent group messages with newly added members, helping them catch up instantly

WhatsApp has introduced a new feature called Group Message History, which allows group members to share recent chat messages with people who are newly added to a group. According to WhatsApp, the new option is designed to help new group members understand recent conversations that took place before they joined the group. Until now, new users joining a group could not see earlier messages and often had to ask others to explain what they missed. The rollout is happening in phases, and the feature will become available to more users over time.

WhatsApp’s Group Message History sharing feature: How it works

With Group Message History, when someone is added to a group chat, admins and existing members will see an option to share recent messages with the new participant. Users can choose to send between 25 and up to 100 of the most recent messages. The update helps new members quickly catch up on the context of the conversation without relying on screenshots or forwarded messages. 

 

 

The company said that the shared messages remain end-to-end encrypted. This means that only people within the chat can read the messages, maintaining the app’s existing privacy standards. The company said this feature provides a more private alternative to manually forwarding messages or taking screenshots.

 

In its blog, WhatsApp said sharing message history is not automatic. A group member has to choose to send it. Group admins can also turn off this option if they don’t want old messages to be shared with new members. However, admins will still be able to share the message history themselves if needed.

 

For transparency, the company noted in its blog that whenever message history is shared, everyone in the group is notified. The shared messages appear with clear timestamps and sender details, and they are visually distinct from regular messages so that members can easily identify which messages were part of the history.