WhatsApp rolls out powerful feature, new members in group chats to get added advantage

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms, has introduced a new feature called ‘Group Message History’ to improve user experience in group chats. The update is especially useful for groups where new members are added frequently.

Earlier, when a new member joined a group, they could only see messages sent after they were added. This often made it difficult to understand the ongoing conversation. With the new feature, newly added members will now be able to view recent messages that were sent before they joined the group. This will make onboarding smoother and reduce the need to repeatedly explain previous discussions.

Admins get full control

The feature is optional and completely controlled by the group admin. Admins can decide whether to share previous chat history with new members. They can also choose how many older messages to make visible. According to the company, sharing can begin with at least 25 earlier messages. This flexibility allows admins of professional, community, or personal groups to customise settings according to their needs and avoid repeatedly forwarding old messages.

Privacy protections in place

The company has stated that the ‘Group Message History’ feature will operate under end-to-end encryption. Any previously shared messages will remain confined within the group, ensuring that no external party can access them. For transparency, all existing group members will receive a notification when chat history is shared with a new member. Shared messages will clearly display timestamps and sender information. The feature is being rolled out globally for both Android and iOS platforms, and users can access it by updating their app to the latest version.