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WhatsApp Starts Rolling Out Group Message History for New Members

New joiners can get context from a capped set of recent messages shared on addition, with privacy preserved by end‑to‑end encryption.

Overview

  • The feature is rolling out globally on the latest Android and iOS apps, and users may need to update to see it.
  • When adding someone to a group, participants can choose to share 25, 50, 75, or up to 100 recent messages rather than the full archive.
  • Sharing is never automatic and must be triggered during the add process, addressing a long‑standing request to cut down on screenshots and manual forwards.
  • Everyone in the chat is alerted when history is shared, and the forwarded messages appear visually distinct with timestamps and sender details for transparency.
  • WhatsApp says end‑to‑end encryption remains intact, with messages re‑encrypted for the new participant, and admins can disable member sharing while retaining the ability themselves.