WhatsApp is in the process of developing a new feature aimed at enhancing the experience of users when they join existing groups on the widely used messaging platform. According to a feature tracker, this upcoming functionality will allow group administrators to share up to 24 hours’ worth of messages sent in a group prior to a new member’s addition, thus providing essential context for recent conversations.
The feature, identified as “Recent History Sharing,” was discovered in the beta version of WhatsApp for Android 2.23.18.5, as noted by WABetaInfo, a service dedicated to tracking new features in WhatsApp. This tool will enable newly added members to view messages exchanged by current participants, offering them insight into discussions they may have missed.
It is important to note that this feature is still under development, and as such, beta testers are currently unable to experiment with it on the latest version of WhatsApp. Furthermore, there has been no announcement regarding when it might be available for the broader user base. In contrast, WhatsApp is currently launching its Channels feature, which permits users to view up to 30 days of prior messages upon joining a new channel. However, the history sharing feature for groups will only showcase a 24-hour window.
The ability to enable this setting will be limited to group administrators. When the feature is activated, existing group members will receive a notification indicating that recent history sharing has been enabled. Screenshots shared by WABetaInfo suggest that a compact message will appear in the chat, confirming this new functionality for incoming participants.
Additionally, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Wednesday that WhatsApp is implementing a new feature designed to simplify the process of naming new group chats. This functionality will automatically assign participant names to the group chat, eliminating the need for users to come up with a name when initiating a new group. Zuckerberg shared a screenshot that demonstrated this feature.
This automatic group naming system is expected to be accessible to users on all platforms. Confirmations from Gadgets 360 indicate that it is operational in the latest beta version of WhatsApp for Android, though not yet available on iOS. Users can look forward to the rollout of this feature on their devices in the upcoming weeks.
