WhatsApp has started rolling out four new features for group chats: messages that stay pinned for as long as you want, a way to send chat history to members who have already joined, a Status that only one group can see, and a filter for unread chats where someone mentioned you or replied to you. Meta announced the update on 29 October 2026, and it is reaching Android and iPhone users in stages over the coming weeks.
The update is aimed at people who belong to a lot of busy groups, which in India means family groups, society groups, office teams and school parents’ groups. Here is what each feature does and how to use it.
1. Pin a message with no expiry
Until now, pinning a message meant picking a time limit of 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days. After that, the pin disappeared and someone had to pin it again. WhatsApp now lets you keep a message pinned indefinitely.
This is useful for things that do not change often, like a society’s maintenance account details, a Wi-Fi password in a family group or the address for a wedding. You can still unpin the message whenever you want, just as before.
2. Send recent messages to someone who has already joined
Earlier, you could share recent messages with a new member only at the moment you added them to the group. If you forgot, they joined a conversation with no context. Now you can tap the new member’s name inside the chat and send them recent messages after they have joined.
According to WhatsApp’s blog, these shared messages stay end-to-end encrypted. Digit reports that both admins and regular members can use this option. WhatsApp has not said how many messages can be shared this way.
3. Group Status
You can now post a Status update to a specific group instead of to all your contacts. Members of that group can view it, react to it and add their own group statuses. Like a normal Status, a group Status disappears after 24 hours.
This works well for updates that only make sense to one circle, for example photos from a cousin’s mehendi shared just with the family group, or a quick “office closed tomorrow” note for a team.
4. Mentions and replies filter
The fourth change is a new filter in the chat list. It shows only unread group chats where someone mentioned you, replied directly to your message, or used @all. If you are in 30 groups and do not want to scroll through all of them, this filter brings up the conversations where you are actually needed.
WABetaInfo notes that the filter covers community chats too, and that it is optional. You can move it to a separate section or remove it from your main chat list if you do not want it.
When will you get these features?
WhatsApp is rolling out all four features on Android and iOS, but only to some accounts at first. More users will get them over the next few weeks. If you do not see them yet, update WhatsApp from the Play Store or App Store and check again in a few days. WhatsApp has not shared a specific app version number for this update.
Quick summary
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Pin forever | Keeps a message pinned with no time limit |
| Share history later | Send recent messages to a member after they join |
| Group Status | Status visible only to one group, gone after 24 hours |
| Mentions and replies filter | Shows unread groups where you were mentioned or replied to |
If you want more control over who sees your activity on the app, read our guide on how to hide your WhatsApp last seen from strangers. Switching phones before Diwali? Here is how to transfer WhatsApp chats to a new phone. And if you are curious about other messengers, see our list of the best WhatsApp alternatives.
Source: WhatsApp Blog
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t I see the new WhatsApp group features yet?
WhatsApp is rolling them out in stages. Update the app from the Play Store or App Store and check again over the next few weeks.
Can I still unpin a message that is pinned forever?
Yes. A message pinned with no time limit can be unpinned at any time, like any other pinned message.
Who can see a group Status?
Only members of the group you share it with. They can view it, react to it and add their own, and it disappears after 24 hours.
Are messages shared with new members encrypted?
Yes. WhatsApp says recent messages sent to a new member stay end-to-end encrypted.
