WhatsApp has rolled out three fresh upgrades to group chats, including improvements to polls and a new tool that all-but guarantees nobody misses a notification. WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta — the same parent company behind Instagram and Facebook, is the most popular chat app on the planet, with billions of users.
In a blog post confirming the new features, it wrote: "Group chats are best on WhatsApp – from staying close to your inner circle to coordinating with your fantasy league.
"Today we’re making them even better with new poll updates for faster decision-making, @all mentions to get everyone’s attention, and a simpler way to create new group chats from existing groups."
If you want access to the latest features on your Android or iPhone, head to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, respectively, and download the latest version of WhatsApp. Here's everything you can expect to find...
Polls have enjoyed a makeover with three handy additions. If you've never used it before, the tool lets you gather opinions and make decisions instantly in any individual or group chat. It works like a digital ballot box where you type a question and list multiple choices for people to click on.
Now you can set a deadline so voting locks automatically when time runs out — perfect for pinning down dinner plans. There's also the option to hide who voted for what, which means people can share their honest preferences without feeling awkward.
And if you spot a mistake in your question, you've got a 15-minute window to edit it.
There's an @all command that lets you ping every member of a group chat at once about something urgent instead of users individually.
It's ideal for last-minute cancellations or deadline reminders. In groups larger than 32 people, only admins can use it. Even if you've muted a chat, @all notifications will still come through, though you can switch them off in your settings whenever you like.
The feature is similar to what you'd find in Outlook or Gmail, where you need to get a recipient's attention from a busy inbox.
The third addition is the ability to create a brand new group chat from an existing one with just a single tap. This means you no longer need to add people individually — you can quickly branch off to plan a surprise party or hash out the finer details of an event without clogging up the main conversation.
WhatsApp's new features arrive shortly after four others were released a few short weeks ago. You'll also be treated to upgrades for your car, iPad, PDF documents, and more.
And if you use WhatsApp on your desktop, you can now make voice and video calls directly on your browser.
Whether it's a one-on-one voice call or a group video call, you can now do it all from WhatsApp Web. If you're a student using a shared computer, stuck on a work laptop that won't let you install apps, or logging into a machine at the library or a friend's house, you can hop on a call without ever leaving your browser.
