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WhatsApp's Four New Group Features: Status for Groups, Pins That Never Expire and More
WhatsApp announced four group chat features on 29 October: Group Status, pins that never expire, sharing recent messages with someone who has just joined, and a filter for mentions and replies. They are rolling out on Android and iPhone over the coming weeks.
Published Nov. 2, 2026, 06:36 GMT
Last updated: 2 Nov 2026References
The four features
| Feature | What it does | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Group Status | A Status update that lasts 24 hours and is visible only to that group's members. Members can react and post their own. | Family trips, clubs, class groups |
| Permanent pins | Pinned messages can now stay pinned with no expiry. Before, you chose 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days. | Rules, addresses, payment details for a group |
| Share recent history | After someone joins, an admin can tap the member's name and share recent messages with them. WhatsApp says this stays end-to-end encrypted. | Catching a new member up without screenshots |
| Mentions and replies filter | A new filter that shows only messages that mention you (including @all) or reply to you. | Busy groups you have muted |
When will I get them?
WhatsApp says the features are rolling out on Android and iOS. WABetaInfo notes it can take weeks to reach every account, so a friend may see them before you do. Keeping the app updated from the Play Store or App Store is the only way to speed it up.
Our take
Permanent pins and the mentions filter are the quiet wins: they fix the two biggest group-chat annoyances, important messages disappearing from the pin bar and missing the one message meant for you. Group Status is the one to think about: anything posted there is visible to everyone in the group, which may include people you don't know well.
Related guides
- How to pin and star messages on WhatsApp on Android
- How to choose who sees your WhatsApp Status on Android
- How to check and set up WhatsApp chat backup on Android
We will add step-by-step screenshots of the new features once they reach our test phones.
How we wrote this: our staff read the reporting listed below, checked the facts against more than one source where possible, and wrote this piece in our own words. Anything not confirmed is labelled. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
