WhatsApp gets 3 new features to make group chats less chaotic

WhatsApp is making group chats easier to manage with smarter polls, @all mentions and a faster way to create smaller groups from existing chats. Here's what's changing.

In Short

• WhatsApp announced three new updates
• @all is available only to admins in groups with more than 32 members
• Users can now create a new, smaller group from an existing WhatsApp group

WhatsApp is apparently making group chats a little less chaotic. In a blog post today, the messaging platform revealed a set of new features that are designed to help users make decisions faster and ensure important messages do not get lost. Notably, none of these features is new to the app; WhatsApp already had @all and polls. The new update improves these existing features while also introducing an easier way to create new group chats from existing ones.

WhatsApp gets smarter polls and @all mentions

WhatsApp is making polls more useful with three new changes. Users can now set an end time for a poll, after which voting will automatically close. This can be useful when a group needs to make a decision by a specific deadline.

The company is also allowing users to hide voter names in polls. This means other members of the group will not be able to see who voted for which option, making it easier for people to share their preferences without worrying about how others might react.

There is also an option to edit poll questions within 15 minutes of creating them. So, if you spot a typo or realise that the question needs a little clarification, you can fix it without creating a new poll.

Another major addition is the @all mention. For larger groups with more than 32 members, the @all option will be available only to admins. WhatsApp also says users can control how they receive these notifications and can mute @all alerts through the notification settings.

Create a new WhatsApp group from an existing one

WhatsApp is also making it easier to start a smaller conversation within a larger group. Users can now create a new group chat with people from an existing group in just a tap, without having to manually add each person.

This could be useful when a large group needs a separate conversation for a specific purpose. For example, a group planning a surprise party can quickly create a smaller chat for organisers, while members coordinating an event can move their discussion to a separate group without disturbing the main conversation.

WhatsApp says these changes build on other group chat features introduced earlier this year, including group message history, member tags and event reminders.

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