Key Takeaways
- WhatsApp is expanding group management tools with features like ownership transfer and visibility settings for better organization.
- Admins can now set group chats as visible or hidden when adding them to a Community, aiding large group organization.
- These new tools are rolling out to the stable channel starting today.
Once little more than a barebones messaging service, WhatsApp is expanding Community chat group management with new tools for easier organization. It’s the latest in a series of rollouts designed to broaden functionality and make it easier to connect with family, friends, and large groups.
WhatsApp and the expanding feature set
An evolution of group messaging in an effort to compete with the rest
WhatsApp remains the world’s most popular messaging service 10 years after Meta’s buyout, with feature-rich alternatives like Telegram offering more options, but lagging far behind in userbase size. This year’s addition of Channels, which allow for one-way broadcast as well as compartmentalized group chats, brings the app one step closer to a social media platform. Now, it lets Channel creators transfer ownership to another admin, while admins can hide specific group chats that general members don’t need to see.
The new tools have yet to hit most devices, but the rollout is in the works. Once available, you’ll find the ownership transfer option right there in the Community settings. The change takes effect immediately, and the new owner will get a notification of their updated role. Alongside this update, it’s also now easier to archive Community group chats, with that option accessed directly under the Chats tab, instead of being slightly buried in the Communities tab.
The upcoming visibility setting works a little differently. Admins are now able to set group chats as visible or hidden when adding them to the Community, so only Admins and members can see them. This should help large Communities, and those with various, specific roles, to organize contributions without excess clutter. Once set, however, you’ll need to remove and re-add the group in order to alter its hidden status.
This change comes shortly after some interesting upgrades to the Beta client, including Meta AI assistant integration for business accounts. It appears Meta is angling to draw both social and professional users to a once sparsely-used app in North America, but has gained significant ground over the last year.
