Quick Answer
Yes, it is possible to stop receiving notifications from a WhatsApp group without having to exit the group completely. There are a few different options that allow you to mute or customize notifications from specific WhatsApp groups on your device.
Mute Notifications
One of the simplest ways to stop getting notified every time someone sends a message in a WhatsApp group is to mute notifications for that specific group. When you mute a group, you will no longer receive sound/vibration alerts or see message previews in your notifications from that group. However, the group will remain in your chats list and you can still open it to view new messages.
To mute a WhatsApp group on Android:
- Open the WhatsApp group chat
- Tap the group name at the top of the screen
- Tap Mute notifications
- Select a duration to mute for, like 8 hours or Always
On iPhone:
- Open the WhatsApp group chat
- Swipe left on the group chat
- Tap Mute
- Select a duration to mute for, like 8 hours or Always
Muting stops notifications but it does not affect your membership in the group – you still remain a part of the group even if you have muted it. You can unmute the group at any time to resume getting notifications again.
Customize Notifications
Instead of fully muting a WhatsApp group, you also have the option to customize the notifications you receive from specific chats. This allows you to turn off sounds/vibrations but still see message previews in your notification shade.
On Android, open the group chat, tap the group name, tap Custom notifications and toggle the notification settings you want on or off.
On iPhone, open the group chat, swipe left, tap Custom Notifications and customize the alert settings.
With custom notifications, you can disable distracting sounds and vibrations but still peek at message previews so you don’t miss anything important.
Disable Media Download
If a busy WhatsApp group is filling up your phone’s storage space with photos, videos, and other media, you can disable auto-download for that specific chat. This prevents any new media sent in the group from downloading automatically on your device.
On Android, open the group, tap the group name, Media visibility and toggle off Show media.
On iPhone, open the group chat, tap the group name, tap Media Visibility and disable Show Media from This Group.
With this setting disabled, media will not download unless you explicitly tap to view and download each one. You can still view and download past media that is already on your device.
Hide Previews
If you want to keep receiving notifications from a group but don’t want message previews showing in your notification shade, you can disable preview messages.
On Android, open the chat, tap the group name, Notifications, and toggle off Show message previews.
On iPhone, open the chat, swipe left, tap Custom Notifications, and disable Show Preview.
With this setting, you will get notified of new messages but the content will not be visible in your notifications. You would need to open the chat to view the messages.
Ignore Archived Chats
WhatsApp allows you to archive old chats that you don’t need cluttering up your main chats list. Archived chats move to a separate section and you can choose to mute notifications from these archived threads.
On Android and iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings. From here, you can disable notifications for all archived chats.
If you archive an old or unwanted group chat, this will prevent any new messages from showing notifications and remove the group from your main chat list, while still keeping you as a member of the group.
Leave the Group
The only way to completely eliminate notifications and remove yourself from the group is to fully exit the WhatsApp group. Keep in mind if you exit a group you will no longer be a member – you won’t get any future messages and you will need to be re-added to join again.
On Android and iPhone, open the group chat, tap the Group name, tap Exit group > EXIT.
This should be used as a last resort if you cannot simply mute or customize notifications and do not need to remain a part of the group for any reason. Exiting the group will permanently remove you from the chat.
Summary Table
Option | Stops Notifications | Remains in Group |
---|---|---|
Mute Chat | Yes | Yes |
Customize Notifications | Partially | Yes |
Disable Media Download | No | Yes |
Hide Message Previews | Partially | Yes |
Ignore Archived Chats | Yes | Yes |
Exit Group | Yes | No |
Conclusion
There are several ways to mute, customize, or eliminate notifications from a WhatsApp group chat without fully removing yourself as a member. The options range from silencing alerts to hiding previews to archiving or exiting the group, depending on your needs. Using mute, custom notifications, disabling media download and other selective settings allows you to stay in the know without constant pings. Fully exiting the group should only be used if you need to completely remove yourself and no longer participate. With the right settings, you can gain more control over distracting or unnecessary notifications from WhatsApp groups.