WhatsApp Launches One of Its Most Requested Features for Groups

WhatsApp has started rolling out one of the most-requested group chat features ever: Group Message History a tool designed to help new members catch up quickly on conversations they missed before joining a group.

🧠 What the New Feature Does

Until now, when someone was added to a WhatsApp group, they could only see messages sent after they joined often leaving them confused about context and past discussion. With the Group Message History feature:

• Existing group members can share up to 100 recent messages from before a new participant joined.
• This provides just enough context so newcomers aren’t lost or asking for screenshots.
• It’s optional and not shared automatically someone must deliberately choose to send the history.
• Shared messages appear visually distinct from regular chats with timestamps and sender info, and everyone in the group is notified when history is sent.

🔒 Privacy Remains Intact

Despite the convenience boost, WhatsApp emphasises that the feature preserves end-to-end encryption meaning only group members can see shared history. Nothing is visible to anyone outside the chat, and admins even have the option to turn off message history sharing entirely for sensitive groups.

📍 How It Helps Users

This long-awaited update solves a major pain point for many group chats:

✔️ Reduces confusion when someone joins a group late
✔️ Avoids cluttered threads with forwarded screenshots
✔️ Keeps group discussions more organised
✔️ Makes onboarding easier in communities, clubs, family chats, or work groups

📈 Gradual Rollout

The feature began rolling out on Feb 19, 2026, and will become available to users globally over the coming weeks on both Android and iOS so you may need to update your WhatsApp app to access it.

🔍 Bottom Line

WhatsApp’s new Group Message History finally addresses one of the app’s biggest group chat frustrations letting new joiners catch up without losing context. With privacy safeguards and admin controls in place, it’s a thoughtful and practical upgrade for millions of users worldwide.