WhatsApp’s new feature lets new group members see old chats instantly

In a blog post, the messaging platform said group admins and members can now choose to share recent messages with newly added participants, allowing them to quickly catch up on ongoing conversations.

Describing it as one of its most requested updates, WhatsApp said the feature allows users to send between 25 and 100 recent messages to new members. The shared messages remain end-to-end encrypted, maintaining the same level of privacy and security as all other personal chats on the platform.

“When you add someone new to a group chat, you’ll see an option to send recent messages to them,” the company said, adding that the feature eliminates the need for screenshots or forwarding multiple messages to provide context.

WhatsApp clarified that sharing message history is optional. While admins can disable the setting for their groups, they will always retain the ability to share message history themselves. For transparency, the entire group will be notified whenever message history is shared, complete with clear timestamps and sender details. The shared messages will also appear visually distinct from regular chat messages.

The feature will be rolled out gradually to users worldwide.