WhatsApp groups have become an integral part of how people communicate and collaborate. As a group admin, you may sometimes need to remove another admin from the group for various reasons. So an important question arises – can a WhatsApp group admin remove another admin?
Quick Answer
No, a WhatsApp group admin cannot directly remove another group admin. There is no built-in feature or option in WhatsApp to allow an admin to remove another admin. The only way for one admin to be removed is if they voluntarily exit the admin role or leave the group.
Explaining Why Admins Can’t Remove Other Admins
WhatsApp groups are designed to have multiple admins to share the responsibility and provide backup. So once someone is made a group admin, there is no way for other admins to revoke that privilege. Here are some key reasons why admins can’t remove fellow admins:
- Prevents admin abuse – If admins could remove each other, it could lead to chaos in the group as admins keep removing one another in power struggles.
- No hierarchy between admins – All admins have equal powers. No admin has override abilities over another admin.
- Manual approval required – WhatsApp designed it this way so admins cannot be removed without consent to prevent misuse.
- No central admin control – No single group admin has absolute authority in WhatsApp groups.
Overall, not allowing admins to remove one another maintains checks and balances and prevents destructive admin battles in the group.
How to Effectively Remove an Admin
If you need to remove a fellow group admin, here are some recommended approaches:
1. Ask Them to Step Down Voluntarily
The easiest and most amicable way is to directly message the admin you want removed and politely ask them to voluntarily resign their admin position. Explain your reasons and rationale clearly.
2. Reset Group and Remove Their Admin Status
You can reset the whole group which removes all admins. Recreate the group and add only the admins you want. However, this also removes all members so can be disruptive.
3. Transfer Ownership of the Group
You can transfer ownership of the group to another trusted admin. The new owner can then demote or remove the problematic admin. Ownership transfer is done in Group Settings.
4. Delete the Entire Group
As a last resort, you can delete the existing group altogether and recreate it from scratch without the admin you want removed. But this also erases the group’s chat history.
Workarounds to Limit a Specific Admin
If you cannot directly remove a troublesome admin, you can still work around by limiting their capabilities:
- Turn off their permission to edit group info like subject, icon, description in Group Settings.
- Change the group join link so they cannot add new members.
- Turn on “Only Admins” permission for critical actions like messaging, media upload, etc.
While not a direct removal, restricting their access can minimize the damage a rogue admin can inflict.
What If I’m the Only Admin?
If you are the only admin in a WhatsApp group, you cannot leave the group yourself until you assign other admins. WhatsApp requires at least one admin in every group. So promote one or more members to admin before exiting if you are the sole admin.
Removing Admins in WhatsApp Business
WhatsApp Business accounts have more control over groups. Business admins can directly remove other admins through the WhatsApp Business API or UI. So if you use WhatsApp Business, admins can be demoted by other admins.
Removing Admin Capabilities via WA Mods
There are some third-party unofficial WhatsApp mods like GB WhatsApp and WhatsApp Plus that allow force removing fellow admins. However, using such mods can get your account banned, so use caution.
Best Practices for Safer Admins
Here are some tips to manage your WhatsApp groups safely:
- Carefully choose admins – Only make responsible members as admin.
- Limit admin count – Don’t add too many admins.
- Use admin-only groups – Have a separate admin chat group to coordinate.
- Agree on group rules – Have clear guidelines for admins to follow.
- Monitor activity – Keep tabs on what each admin does.
- Back up chats – Download chat history regularly in case you need to recreate group.
Conclusion
Removing a fellow WhatsApp group admin is not directly possible. Because of how WhatsApp designed group admin privileges to prevent misuse, there is no way for one admin to directly revoke admin rights from another admin. The only options are to request them to voluntarily step down, transfer ownership, reset the group, or delete and recreate the group. With proper coordination and agreement though, group admins can avoid getting into a situation where they need to remove each other in the first place.