WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the key features of WhatsApp is the ability to create groups to communicate with multiple people at once. There are two types of WhatsApp groups – regular groups that allow up to 256 members, and broadcast lists that allow you to send one-way messages to large groups of up to 256,000 members.
Creating a WhatsApp Group
To create a regular WhatsApp group with two-way messaging up to 256 members, follow these steps:
- Open the WhatsApp app on your phone
- Tap on the Chats tab at the bottom
- Tap on the New Group icon at the top right (it looks like a speech bubble with a plus sign)
- You will see a list of your WhatsApp contacts. Tap on the contacts you want to add to the group (you can search for contacts using the search bar at the top)
- Once you’ve selected all the contacts, tap on the Next arrow at the bottom right
- You will be prompted to name your group. Enter a group name and tap Create
That’s it! Your new WhatsApp group is created. All the members you added will receive a notification inviting them to join the group. They can tap on the notification to join the group and start messaging.
Setting a Group Icon
You can customize your WhatsApp group by setting a group icon and description:
- Go to the WhatsApp group you created
- Tap on the group name at the top
- Tap on Group info
- Tap on the camera icon to select a photo from your phone’s library to use as the group icon
- Optionally, you can also tap on Group description to add a short description for your group
- Tap Save to set the new icon and description
Adding and Removing Members
As an admin of the WhatsApp group, you can add new members as well as remove existing members:
- Go to the WhatsApp group and tap on the group name
- Tap on Group info
- Tap on Add members to select contacts to add to the group
- To remove someone, tap on their name and then tap Remove
- Tap Save after making your changes
Messaging in WhatsApp Groups
Messaging in a WhatsApp group works just like regular chats:
- Tap on the group name to open the group chat screen
- At the bottom, type your message into the text box
- You can add emojis, images, videos, documents etc
- Tap the send icon to send your message
- Messages sent will be visible to all members of the group
- You will see a double grey tick when your message is delivered to the group
- Two blue ticks indicate the message has been read
@Mentioning Group Members
You can @mention other members in your group messages:
- In the chat box, type @ followed by the member’s name
- Select the correct match from the options that appear
- Type your message as normal after the @mention
- When you send the message, the member will receive a special notification alerting them of the mention
This helps catch someone’s attention even if they have muted the group notifications.
Replying to Messages
To directly reply to a specific message within a WhatsApp group:
- Long press on the message you want to reply to
- Tap Reply from the popup menu
- Type your reply in the text box at the bottom
- Tap the send icon
Your message will be indented under the original message to keep the back-and-forth conversation threaded.
Pinning Important Messages
Admins can pin important messages in a WhatsApp group to notify all members:
- Long press on the message you want to pin
- Tap Pin from the popup menu
The pinned message will appear at the top of the chat with a pin icon. All members will receive a notification saying a message was pinned.
Managing Notifications
Since WhatsApp group chats can get busy, you can manage your notifications:
- Mute a group for 8 hours, 1 week or 1 year to suppress notifications
- Customize notifications for groups to be a sound, vibration, or muted
- Turn off group notifications while keeping individual chats on
Go to WhatsApp Settings > Notifications > Groups to configure your preferences.
Leaving or Deleting a Group
Don’t want to be part of a WhatsApp group anymore? Here’s how to leave or delete a group:
- Leave a group: Open the group info and tap Exit group at the bottom
- Delete a group: Group admins can delete the group by opening group info and tapping Delete group at the bottom
When you leave or delete a group, you’ll no longer receive any messages from that group.
Broadcast Lists
WhatsApp also allows creating broadcast lists to send one-way announcements to up to 256,000 members. Users cannot reply to broadcast messages.
To create a broadcast list:
- Tap the New Broadcast icon at the top of your chats
- Add recipients by selecting from your phone contacts
- Verify the list of recipients looks accurate
- Tap Send to create your broadcast list
You can now send messages to this list like a regular chat, except recipients cannot reply.
WhatsApp Web and Desktop Apps
WhatsApp isn’t limited to just your phone – you can also access your chats from a desktop browser or desktop app:
- WhatsApp Web: Visit web.whatsapp.com in your desktop browser and scan the QR code with your phone to link it.
- WhatsApp Desktop app: Download and install the app on your computer, then similarly scan the QR code to sync your chats.
This allows you to conveniently access your WhatsApp chats and groups from a laptop or computer as well!
Using WhatsApp for Business
There’s also a specialized WhatsApp Business app designed for businesses to communicate with customers:
- Create a business profile with useful info like description, address, etc.
- Set quick replies to common questions for efficiency
- Send catalogues of products and services to showcase your offerings
- Allows users to easily contact businesses for customer support
The WhatsApp Business API can even enable larger companies to programmatically send and receive WhatsApp messages at scale.
Top WhatsApp Group Chat Tips
To effectively use WhatsApp groups and group chats:
- Name groups appropriately so members can identify the purpose
- Keep groups to fewer members for more focused conversations
- Mute noisy or distracting groups when needed
- Pin important announcements to notify all members
- Use @mentions to notify group members who may have missed messages
WhatsApp Group Chat FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about WhatsApp groups:
How many people can be in a WhatsApp group?
Regular WhatsApp groups can have up to 256 members. WhatsApp broadcast lists can have up to 256,000 members.
Is there a limit to the number of groups you can create?
No, there is no limit on the number of groups you can create in WhatsApp.
Can someone add me to a WhatsApp group without my permission?
No, you have to explicitly accept an invite link or notification to join a WhatsApp group. You cannot be added without consent.
Can I prevent someone from adding me to groups?
Yes, go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy and enable “Groups” under “Who can add me to groups”. You can restrict group invites to your contacts, nobody, etc.
How do I leave a WhatsApp group discreetly?
When you leave a WhatsApp group, a system notification is sent to all members. There is no way to leave discretely. To rejoin the group, you’ll need a new invitation link.
If I delete a WhatsApp group, what happens to all the messages?
Deleting a group completely erases the group and its messaging history. Members will lose access to all previous chats after a group is deleted.
Conclusion
WhatsApp group chats provide a convenient way to communicate with multiple people and manage conversations. Make use of features like mute, pin, @mention, broadcast lists, desktop apps, and WhatsApp Business to get the most out of groups.
Consider the group size, active members, and purpose to ensure a group thrives. Follow WhatsApp group best practices to prevent overwhelming or unnecessary notifications.
With useful settings to control notifications and privacy, you can tailor WhatsApp groups to suit your needs. WhatsApp continues improving groups with more administrative controls and organizational tools.