WhatsApp upgrades group chats with smarter polls and @all alerts

California: Group chats on WhatsApp are getting a fresh round of upgrades. WhatsApp has introduced new features designed to make group conversations easier to manage, including enhanced polls, @all mentions and a quicker way to create new chats from existing groups.

The update expands WhatsApp’s group chat toolkit, with the messaging platform focusing on faster decision-making and better coordination for everything from family conversations to workplace discussions.

Polls have received three new features aimed at making group decisions smoother. Users can now set an end time, allowing polls to close automatically when voting is complete. Poll creators can also choose to hide voter identities, making it easier for participants to share their preferences privately. In addition, poll questions can now be edited within 15 minutes of creation to correct mistakes or provide clarification.

WhatsApp has also introduced @all, a feature that lets users notify every member of a group with a single mention instead of tagging people individually. The feature is intended for time-sensitive announcements such as school or office closures, approaching deadlines or last-minute changes to plans.

For larger communities, WhatsApp has limited @all usage to group administrators in chats with more than 32 participants. The platform added that @all notifications can reach users even if a group has been muted, although members retain the option to disable @all notifications through their settings.

Another addition allows users to create a new group chat directly from an existing one without manually adding members. The feature is designed for situations where participants want to spin off into a separate discussion, whether to organise an event, coordinate logistics or continue a conversation without interrupting the main group.

The latest rollout builds on a series of group-focused updates introduced earlier this year, including group message history, member tags and event reminders.

WhatsApp said the changes reflect its continued investment in group messaging as usage continues to grow. The platform now has more than 100 million users in the United States and over three billion users worldwide.

With polls becoming smarter, notifications becoming louder and new chats only a tap away, WhatsApp is betting that group conversations can be a little less chaotic and a lot more organised.