WHATSAPP ROLLS OUT NEW GROUP FEATURES, BETTER POLLS, @ALL AND MORE

Mon 10 August 2026:

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 polls updates for faster decision-making, @all mentions to get everyone’s attention, and a simpler way to create new group chats from existing groups.

Better polls: WhatsApp now making polls even more useful for group decisions with three new improvements. You can now set an end time to lock voting when time is up, hide voter names so the whole group is more comfortable sharing their preferences, and edit your poll questions within 15 minutes if you spot a typo or need to clarify. Whether you’re finalizing when or where to meet, it’s now easier to quickly go from question to decision.

@all: Alert everyone in your group chat about important, time-sensitive messages. No more tagging people one by one or hoping your message gets noticed in a busy group chat. Use @all to notify everyone about urgent messages, like school or office closures, event deadlines, or last-minute changes to your plans. For larger groups with more than 32 people, @all is available for admins only.

While the @all feature will alert you to important messages even in muted group chats, you remain in control of how you receive notifications and can mute @all at any time in notification settings.

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Create group chats from existing groups: Instantly start a new group chat with people from an existing one in just a tap – no need to add people one by one. It’s perfect for splitting off into a side conversation to plan a surprise party, coordinate event logistics, or dive deeper into a topic without cluttering the main chat.

Earlier this year, WhatsApp upgraded group chats with the launch of group message history, member tags and event reminders. We’re continuing that momentum with smarter polls, @all mentions, and faster group chat creation. With more than 100 million people in the U.S. on WhatsApp, and over 3 billion people globally, there’s no better place for your group chats.

Group calling: WhatsApp has announced a handful of enhancements for group calling over the encrypted platform, including seamless call transfers across devices and a new web calling feature.

It’s now possible to make and receive audio and video calls, including both one-on-one and group calls, directly from WhatsApp Web. The new browser-based service provides access to common features available on other devices, like screen sharing, reactions, and a dedicated Calls tab with a user’s full call history.

WhatsApp says the end-to-end encrypted web service will make it easier to jump on a call without leaving your browser, and it should be especially welcomed by anyone who uses a work laptop that doesn’t allow app downloads.

The latest rollout also brings Call Transfer, allowing users to move an active group call from one device to another without hanging up.

Then there’s the new Waiting Room, which appears when creating a WhatsApp call link with “Require approval to join” enabled. Participants now enter the waiting room first until the host is ready to let them in.

Two last additions round out this update: QuickHD allows users to enjoy high-definition video immediately in the very first few seconds of the call, while Noise Suppression removes background noise so that voices come through more clearly, even in loud or busy environments.

WhatsApp says the slate of new features are rolling out gradually and will be “available to everyone soon.”

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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