WhatsApp may soon let new group members view past chats
24 Jan 2026

WhatsApp is testing a new feature that would let existing group members share their chat history with newcomers.

The capability was recently spotted in an iOS update via the TestFlight beta program, according to WABetaInfo.

Though it was previously teased for Android, Meta seems to be expanding its reach with this planned iOS rollout.

New feature aims to provide context for group chats
User experience

The new feature is designed to give newcomers a sense of the group's purpose and context behind past conversations.

Unlike Telegram, which allows users to view previous messages in a group, WhatsApp only lets users read messages posted after they join a group.

This update would change that by allowing new members access to up to 100 recent messages from the last 14 days.

Differentiation and notification features for shared messages
Enhanced functionality

The messages shared through this feature would be highlighted in a different color, making them instantly recognizable from new ones.

WhatsApp will also notify older members that chat histories have been sent to newcomers.

A note with the name of the user who shared these messages will also be added to the group chat.

Feature activation and user control
User control

The feature will be visible when adding a new member to the group.

After tapping on 'Add member,' a new option to share recent messages will appear at the bottom of the screen.

Users can either share up to 100 messages or choose a smaller subset.

However, this feature is disabled by default and WhatsApp doesn't automatically send chat history to newcomers in groups.

Alerts for sharing messages with newcomers
User alerts

WhatsApp will show alerts when users try to share messages with newcomers.

These alerts will be shown up to three times, after which the messages would be shared as soon as the user confirms the action.

The latest update is currently available only to WhatsApp for iOS users who downloaded it via the TestFlight app.