WhatsApp is testing a new feature on iOS that lets new group members see recent messages from before they joined. Until now, people had to ask others what they missed. The feature is designed to help newcomers catch up quickly.
How WhatsApp group chat history sharing works
The feature allows sharing up to 100 recent messages from the last 14 days. The person adding a new member decides whether to share the chat history. Messages appear immediately for the new member, making it easier to follow ongoing conversations.
To use it, open the group chat info screen and tap “Add Member.” Select a contact and, if the feature is available, an option to share recent messages appears. Users can share all 100 messages or just a few. WhatsApp also shows confirmation alerts three times to make sure users know what they are doing.
Shared messages appear in a different colour to make them easy to identify. Existing group members are notified when chat history is shared, with a system message showing who shared it. The messages come from the device of the person adding the new member. They remain protected with end-to-end encryption, keeping them secure during delivery.
The feature is gradually rolling out to some iOS beta testers. There is no official timeline for a full release yet. Some beta users can already share chat history even if the new member does not yet have the feature enabled.
This update could make joining WhatsApp groups much smoother, helping new members stay informed without interrupting the flow of conversations.
