There are a few possible reasons why you may not be receiving messages from a specific WhatsApp group:
You were removed from the group
The most likely reason is that you were removed from the WhatsApp group by the group admin. When you are removed from a group, you will no longer receive any messages sent in that group.
To check if you are still a participant of the group, open WhatsApp and go to the Chats tab. Look for the group name – if it is not there, then you are no longer a member of that group.
You left or exited the group
Another possibility is that you voluntarily left or exited the WhatsApp group. When you leave a group, you stop receiving messages from that group moving forward.
To verify if this is the case, think back to whether you intentionally exited the group yourself. This could have been done by tapping on the group name, selecting Group Info, then choosing the Exit Group option.
You are muted in the group
If you are muted in a WhatsApp group, you will stop getting notifications for new messages posted in the group. However, you are still a participant of the group.
To check if you are muted:
- Open the WhatsApp group
- Tap on the group name to open Group Info
- Go to Notifications > Muted > check if it is set to 8 hours, 1 week, Always
If muted for always or for a certain time period, you will not get notifications from that group until you unmute.
Issues with your internet connection
Problems with your internet connection can sometimes lead to messages not coming through. Here are some things to check:
- Make sure your data or Wi-Fi is working properly
- Check if you can send/receive WhatsApp messages to other individual contacts or groups
- Force close and restart the WhatsApp app
- Update WhatsApp to the latest version available in your app store
If you have no internet connectivity issues, then the problem likely lies elsewhere.
Your phone storage is full
If your phone’s storage is completely full, WhatsApp may not be able to retrieve new messages, especially if they contain media like photos or videos.
To rule this out, check your phone storage under Settings. If it is completely full, try the following fixes:
- Delete files, apps, photos, videos to free up space
- Transfer files to a laptop or cloud storage to make space
- Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp after freeing up storage
Notifications are turned off for WhatsApp
If you have disabled notifications for WhatsApp as a whole, you will not get notified about new messages from any individual or group chats.
To enable WhatsApp notifications:
- Go to your phone’s Settings > Apps & Notifications > WhatsApp > Notifications
- Turn on Allow Notifications and make sure they are enabled for each notification category.
Do Not Disturb mode is on
If Do Not Disturb or a similar Silent/Sleep mode is enabled on your phone, you will not hear message notifications come in.
Check that Do Not Disturb mode is turned off or that WhatsApp notifications are enabled under the Do Not Disturb settings.
Time limit exceeded on exported chat
If you have recently exported your WhatsApp chat history and re-imported the chat backup into WhatsApp, there is a time limit of 40 days for exported chats.
Any messages older than 40 days will not show up when you import that exported chat. This 40 day limit prevents full chat histories from being restored when transferring between different phones.
You blocked a participant in the group
If you have blocked a specific person in the WhatsApp group, messages from that participant will not come through to you.
To unblock the person:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy > Blocked
- Tap Unblock on the contact you want to unblock.
Issues with your phone’s date and time
An incorrect date and time setting on your phone can sometimes lead to strange issues with WhatsApp.
Make sure the date and time on your phone are set correctly. Go to Settings > System > Date & Time and turn on Automatic date & time if it is disabled.
You are using WhatsApp Web
Messages may sync slower or have issues coming through if you are primarily using WhatsApp Web on your computer’s browser.
Try logging out of WhatsApp Web andavoid using it for a while to see if your mobile messaging improves.
Your phone number was banned
In extreme cases, if your phone number was banned by WhatsApp for violating terms of service, you may be unable to send or receive messages.
You will typically get notified by WhatsApp if your account has been banned. The only option is to appeal the ban or use a new phone number.
Ongoing service issue at WhatsApp’s end
In rare cases, there could be a temporary technical issue or glitch affecting WhatsApp’s servers that is preventing messages from coming through.
Check social media or WhatsApp’s Twitter account to see if others are reporting similar problems sending messages. Such issues are usually resolved within a few hours.
Conclusion
Here is a summary of the main reasons why you may not get WhatsApp group messages and how to troubleshoot them:
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Removed from group | Ask to be added back |
| Exited group yourself | Ask to rejoin group |
| Muted notifications | Unmute in Group Settings |
| No internet connection | Check data/WiFi status |
| Phone storage full | Delete files to free up space |
| Disabled WhatsApp notifications | Enable notifications in Settings |
| Do Not Disturb mode on | Disable DND mode or allow WhatsApp |
| Participant blocked | Unblock participant in Settings |
| Incorrect date/time | Set automatic date/time on phone |
| Using WhatsApp Web | Log out of WhatsApp Web |
| Account banned | Appeal ban or use new number |
| WhatsApp service issue | Wait for WhatsApp to resolve issue |
If none of the above fixes work, consider uninstalling and reinstalling the WhatsApp app as a last resort. You may also need to contact WhatsApp support if the issue persists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I not getting WhatsApp group notifications?
If you are not getting WhatsApp group notifications at all, it is likely because you have muted notifications for the group, disabled WhatsApp notifications completely, or have Do Not Disturb mode enabled on your phone. Check the notification settings and unmute/enable as needed.
Can I be removed from a WhatsApp group without my knowledge?
Yes, the admin of a WhatsApp group can remove you from the group without sending any notification. You will simply stop receiving messages from that group if you are removed.
What happens when I exit a WhatsApp group?
If you voluntarily exit a WhatsApp group, you will stop getting any messages from that group moving forward. You can rejoin the group only if the admin sends you a new invite link or adds you back.
Why can I only see some messages from a WhatsApp group?
If you recently imported a WhatsApp chat backup, messages older than 40 days will not be visible. This is due to a time limit on exported chats. Only messages from the past 40 days are shown.
Can someone block me in a WhatsApp group?
No, there is no way to block a specific person in a WhatsApp group. Even if you block someone, they can still see and send messages in any common groups. An admin will have to remove you from the group.
How do I recover deleted WhatsApp group messages?
Unfortunately, there is no way to recover messages deleted from a WhatsApp group by yourself or another participant. Once deleted, those messages are permanently gone.
Can I get added back to a WhatsApp group if I was removed?
If you were removed from a WhatsApp group, you can only be added back if the current group admin sends you a new invitation link or manually adds you to the participants list again.
Why can I not find a WhatsApp group on my phone?
If a WhatsApp group is no longer visible in your Chats tab, it likely means you were removed from that group by the admin and are no longer a participant.
Are all WhatsApp groups limited to 256 participants?
Earlier, WhatsApp groups were limited to 256 participants maximum. This limit has now been increased to 512 participants in a single group (as of 2019).
Can someone read my WhatsApp group messages without me knowing?
It is not possible to read someone else’s WhatsApp messages without physical access to their phone. WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for chat privacy.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp Group Issues
Problem 1: Can’t find group invite link
If you cannot find the invitation link to a WhatsApp group, ask the admin to resend it to you. Admins can regenerate a new group link at any time from the Group Settings.
Problem 2: Can’t see all participants in group info
WhatsApp groups larger than 100 participants will not show the full member list in Group Info. This is intended behavior to reduce strain on the app. The admin can still see all members.
Problem 3: Some messages not downloading in group
If you see a “downloading…” message for a long time, force close and reopen WhatsApp. Check your internet connection. If the issue persists, the media file may be damaged or unsupported.
Problem 4: Can’t make someone a group admin
Only the original creator of a WhatsApp group can change other members to be admins. Group admins cannot add other admins directly.
Problem 5: Cannot add participants to a group
Make sure you are the group admin. Also check if the group has reached maximum participant capacity, which is 512 members.
Problem 6: Blocked contact still in group
Blocking someone will not automatically remove them from common WhatsApp groups. An admin has to manually remove a blocked contact from any groups.
Problem 7: Cannot leave a WhatsApp group
Go to Group Settings >Exit Group. If Exit option is unavailable, ask the admin to remove you from the group.
Problem 8: Changed phones but can’t find group
Your group membership does not transfer automatically when changing phones. Ask an admin in the old group to send you the invite link again.
Problem 9: Can’t create group using contacts
Check if contacts used WhatsApp recently. Groups can only be created using contacts that were active in the past 365 days.
Problem 10: Cannot add someone back who left group
If someone exits a WhatsApp group, only they can rejoin if the admin sends them a new group invite link. You cannot add them back directly.
Conclusion
Troubleshooting WhatsApp group issues requires methodically checking notification settings, privacy options, participant roles and more. Confirm that you or other contacts have not been blocked or removed from the group. If all else fails, coordinate with the group admin and they can re-add you into the group chat.
Regularly backing up your WhatsApp chats can also help recover from unexpected group issues. Ultimately, pay attention to any changes in groups you are part of and proactively resolve any message delivery problems.