WhatsApp has started rolling out a long-awaited feature that allows users to share recent group chat history with new members, addressing one of the platform’s most persistent pain points: onboarding confusion in active group chats.
For more than a decade, joining a WhatsApp group meant starting with a blank slate. New members often had to ask for context, request screenshots, or wait for someone to manually forward key messages. The new update changes that experience by enabling group admins or members to selectively share recent conversations when adding someone to a group.
The feature is currently rolling out to beta users on both Android and iOS, signalling that WhatsApp is preparing it for a wider public release.
How WhatsApp’s History Sharing Feature Works
The new option, known internally as Recent History Sharing, is intentionally designed to balance convenience with privacy. It is not an automatic archive, but a manual, consent-based tool controlled by the person adding a new member.
Here’s how it works:
- Message limit: Up to 100 recent messages can be shared
- Time window: Only messages sent within the last 14 days are eligible
- Manual toggle: The option appears during the “Add Member” flow and is disabled by default
- Selective sharing: Users can choose to share fewer than 100 messages if preferred
Once shared, the messages appear in the new member’s chat thread, allowing them to immediately understand recent discussions without interrupting the group.
To avoid confusion, WhatsApp highlights the shared messages in a different colour, making it easy for new members to distinguish historical context from live conversations.
Transparency and End-to-End Encryption
Privacy remains a core part of the feature’s design. When chat history is shared, WhatsApp automatically posts a system message in the group indicating:
- who shared the messages, and
- which new member received them
This ensures that all existing participants are aware that recent conversations have been extended to a new participant.
From a security standpoint, WhatsApp confirmed that the feature maintains end-to-end encryption. The shared messages are pulled directly from the device of the person adding the new member and encrypted using that user’s encryption keys before being delivered securely to the recipient.
To further prevent accidental oversharing, WhatsApp displays multiple confirmation prompts when users attempt to share history, reinforcing that the action is intentional.
Why This Update Matters
The impact of this change extends across multiple use cases:
- Work and project groups: New hires or collaborators can instantly catch up on task assignments and discussions
- Social planning: Late-joining participants can see previously shared details such as venues, schedules, or gift ideas
- Community groups: School, neighbourhood, or association admins can onboard new members without repeating announcements
Tech analyst Abubakar Mohammed describes the update as overdue. “WhatsApp is finally fixing one of its most frustrating group limitations. Context matters, especially as the app is increasingly used for professional coordination.”
Part of WhatsApp’s Broader Group Refresh
The history-sharing feature is part of WhatsApp’s broader push to make group chats more structured and functional. Earlier updates introduced member tags, event reminders, and text stickers, positioning WhatsApp closer to platforms like Slack and Discord for lightweight collaboration—while retaining its privacy-first approach.
Availability and Rollout Timeline
As of January 21, 2026, the feature is available to some beta testers on:
- Android (version 2.26.1.28)
- iOS (version 26.2.10.73 via TestFlight)
The rollout is gradual, allowing WhatsApp to monitor performance and address issues before a full public release. While no official launch date has been announced, the stability of the beta suggests broader availability is approaching.
For millions of users worldwide, the update marks a small but meaningful improvement—turning group chats from confusing entry points into more welcoming, context-rich spaces.
