WhatsApp’s poll feature allows users to create polls and get feedback from groups or individual chats. Polls are a great way to make decisions together, plan events, or just have fun with friends and family. Creating and participating in polls is easy and only takes a few taps. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use the poll feature on WhatsApp.
Requirements for Creating Polls
Before creating a poll, there are a few requirements you need to be aware of:
- You must be on the latest version of WhatsApp for the poll feature to work.
- Polls can only be created in group chats, not individual chats.
- You can add up to 12 options in your poll.
- Every poll is allowed a maximum of 100 votes.
- You must be a group admin to create a poll in a group.
How to Create a Poll
Follow these simple steps to create and send a poll in WhatsApp:
- Open the WhatsApp group where you want to create the poll.
- Tap on the attach button (paperclip icon) at the bottom.
- From the menu that opens, tap on the Poll option.
- Enter the question or statement you want to poll.
- Tap on the + icon to add poll options. Add 2-12 options for the poll.
- Once done, tap on the send button (green arrow icon) to publish the poll.
That’s it! Your poll will now be published in the group for members to vote on. The steps to vote in a poll are covered later in this article.
Poll Options
When creating a poll, you can customize the options to suit your requirements. Here are some tips on managing poll options:
- Add 2-12 options that are relevant to the question.
- Keep the options concise – limit to 1-2 words if possible.
- Avoid yes/no type options as they limit feedback.
- Add an option like “See Results” if you want to allow people to see the results before voting.
- Reorder options by long pressing and dragging them.
- Delete options by swiping left on them.
Closing and Reopening Polls
The poll creator has the option to close voting on a poll by tapping the “Close Poll” button. Here is what happens when a poll is closed:
- Members cannot vote anymore but can still see the results.
- The poll creator can reopen a closed poll anytime.
- Reopening a poll will reset all the votes and let people vote again.
So closing polls is useful when you want to share the results but not gather more votes. And reopening is handy if you want a restart or collect more opinions.
How to Vote in a Poll
Voting in a poll is a very straightforward process:
- Tap on the poll message in the group chat.
- Review the question and options.
- Tap on your choice to cast your vote.
- You can change your vote by tapping a different option.
- Tap outside the poll window or swipe down once you’re done voting.
The number of votes will update in real-time. You can also tap on the options to see who all voted for each one.
Checking Poll Results
You can check the latest results of a poll by tapping on the poll message. The results will open up showing the vote count for each option. If the creator enabled it, an option to “See Results” will also show the results before you vote.
Some points to note about poll results:
- You can only see who voted for what option after you cast your vote.
- The poll creator can always see who voted for what, even without voting.
- Names and profile pictures are shown anonymously for each vote.
- The order of options changes dynamically based on vote count.
Deleting Polls
If you are the creator of a poll, you can delete it anytime by:
- Long pressing the poll message.
- Tap on the trash can icon to delete.
- Confirm deleting the message.
The poll will be permanently deleted along with all votes and results. But members will still be able to see that a message was deleted from the chat.
Closing a Poll vs Deleting a Poll
| Closing a Poll | Deleting a Poll |
|---|---|
| Stops further voting on the poll | Permanently deletes the poll |
| Leaves poll message and results in chat | Removes poll message and results from chat |
| Can reopen and restart the poll | Can’t get the poll or results back |
| Good for temporarily pausing voting | Good for completely erasing a poll |
So in summary, closing a poll just pauses it while deleting erases it completely. Choose carefully based on whether you want to continue the poll later or discard it altogether.
Conclusion
Polls are a fun way to engage groups on WhatsApp. With the simple poll creation tool, any group admin can create polls and get opinions from members. The intuitive voting mechanism also makes it easy for members to vote anonymously and check results.
On the whole, the WhatsApp poll feature makes group decisions, planning, and discussions more interactive. It is easier to gather feedback, reach consensus, and settle debates with polls rather than long chats. Over time, we can expect more enhancements to the polling feature for greater flexibility.
So next time you want to make a group decision or gather feedback, make good use of WhatsApp’s native polling. It takes just seconds to create polls and is hassle-free compared to using third-party services or bots. Give it a try and see how polls can add more value to your groups!
Here are some additional tips on effectively using polls in WhatsApp groups:
Use polls for making group decisions
Polls are great for deciding on things like “Where should we go for dinner?” or “Which date works best for our event?” in a group. Get input from everyone before finalizing a decision.
Plan events and coordinate schedules
Create polls to find the best date and time for a group event. You can list multiple options and see which one works for most people.
Get group opinions on ideas/suggestions
Float ideas like “Should we start a weekly reading club?” and get a sense of people’s interest with a quick poll before discussing further.
Make conversations interactive
Spark fun conversations with polls like “Which is the best movie series?” or “Who has the cutest pet?” Light-hearted polls keep groups engaged.
Settle debates and arguments
You can amicably end arguments by creating objective polls to collect group opinions, rather than continuing lengthy debates.
Choose favorites
Find out favorites like “Which is our group’s favorite holiday destination?” Great for discovering common interests.
Give everyone a chance to weigh in
People who don’t speak up in chats may vote in polls. It’s inclusive of all group members’ opinions.
Make discussions more efficient
Polls save time over long chats when you want group opinions. Get feedback easily without constant messaging.
Poll Etiquette
While polls are fun and useful, there are some etiquette guidelines to keep in mind:
- Don’t overuse polls – excessive polling can get annoying.
- Keep poll options clear and neutral – avoid biased questions.
- Let people vote without pushing your opinions.
- Respect the group’s poll choices.
- Don’t share individual votes outside the group.
- Delete irrelevant or old polls to declutter chats.
Troubleshooting Polls
In some cases, you may encounter issues when creating or voting in polls. Here are some troubleshooting tips:
Problem: Can’t create a poll in a group
- Make sure you’re using the latest WhatsApp version.
- You need to be a group admin to create polls.
- Your group members may be on an old WhatsApp version without poll support.
Problem: Poll options are limited to 12
Unfortunately, 12 is the maximum number of poll options WhatsApp allows currently. Try to consolidate options into broader categories if needed.
Problem: Can’t vote in a poll
- The poll creator may have closed voting.
- You already voted in that poll.
- Your WhatsApp may need updating if others are able to vote.
Problem: Votes not showing properly
- Give the poll some time to update after receiving votes.
- Leaving and rejoining the chat can refresh it.
- Try closing and reopening the poll if issues persist.
We hope these troubleshooting tips help you fix any poll issues in WhatsApp groups. Feel free to contact WhatsApp support if problems continue.
WhatsApp Polls vs Telegram Polls
Telegram also offers native polling capabilities similar to WhatsApp. Here is a comparison between WhatsApp and Telegram polls:
| Feature | Telegram | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum poll options | 12 | 10 |
| Multiple choice polls | No | Yes |
| Max votes per poll | 100 | No limit |
| Public polls | No | Yes |
| Poll stats | Basic | Advanced analytics |
As the table shows, Telegram provides more advanced polling capabilities like unlimited votes, public sharing, and detailed analytics. However, WhatsApp polls are simpler and convenient for basic use cases.
Conclusion
The WhatsApp poll feature provides a quick and easy way to gather opinions, make group decisions, and add interaction to chats. While basic, it is handy for polls with up to 12 options and 100 votes.
Use polls judiciously, without disrupting conversations or overwhelming the group. Also utilize other WhatsApp features like stickers, emojis, and status to make chats more engaging.
Going forward, we can expect more enhancements to WhatsApp’s native polling, like support for image/video polls, linked polls, and advanced analytics. But the current implementation covers most basic use cases well.
So give the polling feature a try today and make your WhatsApp groups more active, decisive, and fun!