WhatsApp is rolling out four new features designed to make group chats easier to manage, the company confirmed this week in a blog post. The update touches how users find important messages, pin content, share history and post status updates.
The changes arrive as group chats remain central to how millions of people in Tunisia and across the region use WhatsApp daily. For now, the four features are being released gradually and may take time to reach all users.
WhatsApp group chat features: what's new
The most visible addition is Group Status. It lets users post updates that only members of a specific group can see. Other members can view, react to and add their own statuses, and like regular WhatsApp statuses, they disappear after 24 hours.
WhatsApp is also making pinned messages more flexible. Users can now pin a message in a group chat permanently, rather than being limited to 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days as before.
A new filter makes it easier to catch up. The filter drawer, which appears when users swipe down on the conversations list, now includes a Mentions and replies button. Tapping it shows only unread group conversations where the user was mentioned or received a direct reply, including @all messages.
Finally, WhatsApp now allows users to share recent messages retroactively with someone who has already joined a group. This was previously only possible when adding someone to the group, not after they had joined. According to 9to5Mac and GSMArena, users can do this by tapping the person's name in the chat.
- Group Status: post updates visible only to members of a specific group; they can view, react to and add their own, and all statuses disappear after 24 hours.
- Permanent pinning: pin messages in a group chat indefinitely, instead of choosing between 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days.
