WhatsApp has rolled out a new feature called Group Message History, one of its most anticipated updates, aimed at helping new members quickly catch up on group conversations. The feature allows existing participants to share a selection of recent messages when adding someone new to a group.

According to parent company Meta Platforms, the feature is among the platform’s “most requested” additions and is designed to improve user experience while maintaining privacy and transparency.

With the update, group members can choose to share between 25 and 100 previous messages with a newly added participant. This helps provide context without requiring users to manually send screenshots or forward multiple messages.

WhatsApp clarified that message history sharing is not automatic. Instead, it requires manual action by group members, and administrators have the option to disable the feature entirely for their groups. However, group admins will always retain the ability to share message history if needed.

For transparency, WhatsApp ensures that when message history is shared, all group participants are notified. The shared messages include clear timestamps and sender information and are visually distinct from regular chat messages, helping users easily identify them.

The company said the feature is designed with privacy protections in mind, ensuring that users maintain control over what content is shared with new members. This approach balances convenience with WhatsApp’s strong emphasis on secure communication.

The Group Message History feature is being rolled out gradually to users worldwide and is expected to significantly improve group chat usability, especially in large or active groups where conversations move quickly.

The update comes as Meta continues expanding its messaging and artificial intelligence capabilities, including recent partnerships and infrastructure investments aimed at enhancing its digital communication ecosystem.