howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-pin-and-star-messages-on-whatsapp-on-android/ · Checked October 2026 · Google Pixel 10a, Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005), WhatsApp 2.26.41.77

In this guide

Touch and hold the message and tap Pin
Choose how long and tap Pin
Find the pinned banner
If you do not see this option
If this does not work
Good to know
Sources

Quick answer

Touch and hold the message and tap Pin (on a message you can still edit, it is under More). Choose 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days and tap Pin. It shows as a banner at the top of the chat. To star a message, tap More, then Star.

3 of 3 steps with real screenshots · 3 official sources below

Device: Android
Shown on: Google Pixel 10a, Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005), WhatsApp 2.26.41.77
App: WhatsApp
Real screenshots: 3 of 3 steps
Checked: October 2026
Sources: 3 official, linked below

Step by step

Touch and hold the message and tap Pin
Ours, Test message one: Reply, Forward, Copy, Delete, Info, Pin and More.
Done
Choose how long and tap Pin
Choose how long your pin lasts: 24 hours, 7 days (selected) or 30 days. You can unpin at any time.
Done
Find the pinned banner
Test message one shows at the top of the chat, with a pin icon next to its time.
Done

If you do not see this option

No Pin in the menu? On a message we had just sent, the menu had Edit instead, and Pin was under More, with Star.
Want to star instead? Tap More, then Star: ours had Star under More, below Pin. A small star appears next to the time. To see every starred message, tap the three dots on the Updates or Chats tab, then Starred. Source: How to star or unstar a message
No Pin in a group? WhatsApp says group admins choose whether members can pin: group name, Group permissions, Edit group settings. Source: How to pin a message

If this does not work

Can't pin another message? WhatsApp says you can pin up to four messages in a chat. Source: How to pin a message
Pin disappeared? WhatsApp says a pin unpins itself when the time you chose runs out. Source: How to pin a message
Someone can't see your pin? WhatsApp says people who joined a group after the pin, or cleared their chat history, don't see it. Source: How to pin a message

About this guide

Pin keeps a message at the top of a chat for a set time; Star bookmarks it with no time limit.

The screenshots are from our Google Pixel 10a with Android 17 and WhatsApp 2.26.41.77, in Dark mode, taken on 25 October 2026. We pinned and starred our own test notes in the Message yourself chat.