WhatsApp Tests New Feature to Share Recent Chat History with New Group Members

WhatsApp is currently testing a new feature that allows group members to share recent chat history with newly added participants. This functionality is being rolled out to a limited set of beta testers via TestFlight for iOS and is also undergoing testing on Android. An official timeline for a wider public release has not yet been announced.

This functionality aims to help new members quickly catch up on recent discussions within a group chat.

Feature Details

The new feature offers several key capabilities:

• Shared Messages: Users can opt to share up to 100 recent messages from the past 14 days with new group members.
• Visibility: Shared messages are clearly highlighted in a different color, making them easily distinguishable for new participants.
• Purpose: The primary goal is to assist new members in quickly understanding and engaging with ongoing conversations in the group.

How It Works for Beta Testers

For beta testers, the process is straightforward. When adding a new member to a group, users will see an option at the bottom of the screen to share recent messages. They can then specify the number of messages to share, adhering to the 100-message limit.

Transparency and Security

WhatsApp prioritizes both transparency and security in this new feature. All existing group members are notified when recent messages have been shared with a new participant, including the name of the user who initiated the sharing. The sharing process leverages messages and encryption keys directly from the device of the user adding the new member, ensuring all shared messages remain protected by end-to-end encryption.