WhatsApp Rolls Out Group Message History
WhatsApp has begun rolling out a new Group Message History feature, which allows new members to view up to 100 of the most recent messages sent before they joined. The feature, being introduced globally including in India, is designed to help newcomers catch up on conversations and context. Admins can control the sharing of recent chat history, which remains end-to-end encrypted.
- The feature is not automatic; an existing member or admin must actively choose to share history at the moment a new person is added. If the moment is missed, the new member must be removed and re-added to receive the chat history. - A specific number of recent messages can be shared, with fixed options of 25, 50, 75, or 100 messages. Only messages from the last 14 days are eligible to be included in this history sharing. - This implementation differs from competitor Telegram, which allows sharing of the entire group message history but does not allow for sharing only a selective number of recent messages. Apple's iMessage currently lacks a similar feature for group chats. - To ensure transparency, all members of the group receive a notification when a new member is sent the message history. The shared messages are also visually distinct from regular messages to avoid confusion. - Group administrators have specific controls to disable the feature for non-admin members. However, admins themselves always retain the ability to share the recent chat history, a setting that cannot be overridden. - The global rollout of the feature began on February 19, 2026, for both Android and iOS users, with availability appearing gradually for users.
