WhatsApp adds 4 group chat tools, including group status

WhatsApp is rolling out four features meant to make busy group chats easier to keep up with, the company said in a blog post this week, as 9to5Mac reports. As usual with WhatsApp, they arrive gradually, so it may take a while before they show up on your phone.

What's new

• Mentions and replies filter. When you swipe down on the chat list, the filter drawer now has a Mentions and replies option next to Groups, Favorites, Unread and your custom lists. Tapping it shows only unread group conversations where you were mentioned or got a direct reply, including @all messages. It is aimed at anyone who mutes large groups but doesn't want to miss questions addressed to them.
• Pins that don't expire. In group chats you can now pin a message indefinitely. Until now you had to choose between 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days, which meant rules, addresses or schedules kept disappearing from the top of the chat.
• Share recent messages after someone joins. WhatsApp already let you share recent history when adding a person to a group. Now you can do it after they have joined by tapping their name in the chat, so latecomers can catch up on the context.
• Group status. You can post a status update that only members of a specific group can see. Other members can view it, react and add their own updates, and everything disappears after 24 hours, like regular status.

Why it matters

Groups are where WhatsApp gets noisy: family chats, school classes, house shares and work teams. The new filter and permanent pins tackle the two most common complaints, missing messages meant for you and losing important information in the scroll, while group status gives a semi-private alternative to posting a status to all your contacts.

WhatsApp has been adding group and calling features steadily, including guest calls for people without an account. Also remember that the app's popularity attracts copycats: our guide on how to spot a fake app on Google Play shows how to make sure you have the genuine WhatsApp installed.