WhatsApp lets you share recent chat history with new group members

Joining a WhatsApp group halfway through a conversation can feel like walking into a movie at the midpoint. WhatsApp now has a fix. When you add someone to a group, you can send them some of the recent chat history so they can catch up. It also works for people who join through an invite link.

What changed

You choose the maximum number of recent messages to send. Pinned messages are included. The new member gets a notification when the history arrives. The rest of the group is also told that message history was shared with the new number, so nothing happens quietly.

Who can use it

Anyone who can add people to the group can send history. That means the group admin, or any member if the admin has allowed everyone to add people. Admins also hold the off switch. If they turn off the message history setting, other members no longer get the option to send it.

How to send history on a phone

The steps are nearly the same on Android and iPhone. The only difference is how you open the group details.

• Open the group chat and tap the group name.
• Or, on Android, press and hold the group in the Chats tab, then tap More (three dots) and Group info.
• Or, on iPhone, swipe the group left in the Chats tab, then tap More and Group info.
• Tap Add, then pick contacts or enter a phone number.
• Make sure Message history is on, choose how many messages to send if you like, then tap Add members and Continue.

On WhatsApp Web for Windows or Mac, the path is similar: open the group, choose Group info, then Add member, and check that Message history is on.

If someone joins by invite link

When a person joins through a link, group members see an option in the chat to send message history. Tap it, pick the number of recent messages, and send. You can also share history with a current member by opening the group chat and searching for that person.

What to do

For a family, team or customer group, this saves a lot of repeating yourself. Before you send, scroll through what the newcomer would receive. Because the history goes to a new person, it is worth knowing what is in those recent messages first. Admins who would rather not allow it can turn the setting off.