How do you send the same message to multiple contacts on WhatsApp?

WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the handy features of WhatsApp is the ability to send the same message to multiple contacts at once, which can save you a lot of time.

Creating a broadcast list

The easiest way to send a message to multiple WhatsApp contacts is by creating a broadcast list. Here are the steps:

1. Open the WhatsApp app on your phone.
2. Tap on the Calls tab at the bottom.
3. Tap on the New broadcast option at the top.
4. This will open your contacts list. Select all the contacts you want to include in the broadcast by tapping on their names.
5. Once you’ve selected all your contacts, tap on the checkmark icon at the top right to confirm.
6. You will see a new broadcast list created with the name “Broadcast list”. Tap on it.
7. Type your message in the text box as you normally would.
8. Hit send. Your message will be delivered to all the selected contacts at once.

The broadcast list makes mass messaging super convenient. You don’t have to select contacts each time – just open the broadcast list and send your message. You can also rename the broadcast list to something meaningful.

Sending to individual chats

If you want to send the same message to a few specific people without creating a broadcast list, you can do so right from your individual chats.

1. Open the WhatsApp app and go to the Chats tab.
2. Open one of the chats where you want to send the message.
3. Tap and hold on the message you’ve typed.
4. A menu will appear – tap on the Forward arrow icon.
5. This will open your contacts list. Select the contacts you want to forward the message to.
6. Once done, tap on the Forward button at the bottom right.
7. The message will now be sent to the selected chats.

While this method requires manually selecting each contact, it allows you to send an existing message without retyping it. You can select chats individually or long press to select multiple.

Copying text to clipboard

If your message is short, like a meeting invite or address, you can copy it to clipboard and paste in multiple individual chats:

1. Type out or copy the message text you want to send.
2. Long press on the text to bring up the copy option.
3. Tap Copy to add it to your clipboard.
4. Open each chat you want to send it to and paste the text from clipboard.
5. Tap Send once it’s pasted in the text box.

This lets you reuse text without retyping the entire message each time. Just switch between chats and paste.

Sending via Share menu

Many apps allow sharing content directly to WhatsApp. You can use this to send to multiple chats:

1. In an app, bring up the Share menu and select WhatsApp.
2. This will open your WhatsApp contact list – select who you want to share with.
3. Tap Send. The content will be shared via WhatsApp.

This lets you quickly send items like photos, videos, contacts, documents etc. Saved you from downloading content before sharing.

Using WhatsApp Web

WhatsApp Web, the desktop browser version, can make broadcasting easier by letting you quickly switch between chats:

1. Open https://web.whatsapp.com/ in your browser.
2. Scan the QR code to link your WhatsApp account.
3. Type out the message in the text box at the bottom.
4. Click on each chat window to send the typed text.

WhatsApp Web also gives you handy keyboard shortcuts to switch chats and complete other actions.

Things to keep in mind

When sending to multiple people on WhatsApp, keep these tips in mind:

• Be careful about privacy – only send to people who would want to receive the message.
• Check for errors before forwarding or sharing incorrect information.
• Respect people’s time – don’t flood inboxes unless needed.
• Customize or personalize messages if you can, to be more relevant.
• Follow up important mass messages with individual chats if needed.

Frequently asked questions

Can I schedule a message on WhatsApp to send later?

Unfortunately, WhatsApp doesn’t have a built-in scheduling feature yet. You can use certain third party apps to schedule WhatsApp messages, but do so at your own risk as this violates WhatsApp’s terms of service.

Is there a limit to how many people I can send to at once?

WhatsApp allows you to send a message to up to 256 people at once. This limit applies whether you use broadcast lists, forwards, or sharing to individual chats.

Can I see who has read my broadcast message?

Yes, if you send via broadcast list, you can see two blue check marks when each recipient reads your message, just like in an individual chat.

How do I remove someone from a broadcast list?

Open the broadcast list, tap on the contact name you want to remove, and select ‘Remove from list’ to delete them from the broadcast list.

What happens if a contact blocks me – will they still get broadcast messages?

If someone blocks you on WhatsApp, they will no longer receive any messages from you, including broadcast messages sent to groups or lists containing that contact.

Can I send a broadcast message to groups?

Unfortunately you cannot send a broadcast message to multiple WhatsApp groups at once. You will have to send it separately to each group.

Conclusion

Broadcasting a message on WhatsApp is easy once you know the right tools. Creating a broadcast list lets you instantly message your selected contacts. You can also forward messages or use share menus to send to multiple chats. With so many people using WhatsApp, it’s a great way to keep in touch efficiently.

Just be mindful of your contacts’ preferences and don’t overdo the mass messaging! With great power comes great responsibility.

Method	Pros	Cons
Broadcast List	Easiest way to mass message Saved contacts list for reuse Can see who has read	Contacts may reply to all
Forwarding	Resend existing messages Select specific chats	Time consuming to select each time
Sharing	Quickly share media/docs Don’t need to download first	Limited to apps with sharing
WhatsApp Web	Faster chat switching Use keyboard shortcuts	Need computer handy Smaller chat view