WhatsApp has begun rolling out a new feature aimed at making it easier for users to join ongoing group conversations without missing important context. Called Group Message History, the update allows group administrators and members to share a selection of recent messages with newly added participants.
When someone is added to a group chat, users will now see an option to send a portion of the recent conversation, ranging from 25 to a maximum of 100 messages. The goal is to help new members quickly understand what has already been discussed, without relying on screenshots or repeated explanations.
The feature is optional and must be actively chosen when adding a new participant. Group administrators can also disable message history sharing for their groups, although they will always retain the ability to send past messages if required.
For clarity, when message history is shared, all members of the group are notified. The forwarded history appears with clear timestamps and sender details, and is visually separated from regular messages to avoid confusion.
WhatsApp has emphasised that Group Message History maintains the same end-to-end encryption used across its messaging platform. This ensures that shared messages remain private and accessible only to the intended recipients within the group.
The company says the feature is being introduced gradually and will become available to users over time. The update will help improve group chat usability, particularly as WhatsApp continues to be used for work coordination, community groups and large social circles.