‘Group Message History’ will let people catch up on conversations after they have joined them
💡Analysis & Context
This seemingly minor update highlights how user-driven feature requests, even for basic functionality, often take a back seat to broader strategic initiatives at large tech companies. It also suggests a subtle shift in WhatsApp's design philosophy, acknowledging that group dynamics are rarely linear and often involve latecomers needing context. This change significantly reduces friction for new group members, improving communication flow and potentially increasing engagement in professional or community-based chats where context is crucial. Watch for whether this paves the way for more 'catch-up' features, like summarized group histories or AI-generated digests, as WhatsApp continues to mature beyond simple messaging.
📋 Quick Summary
WhatsApp's long-awaited 'Group Message History' feature finally allows new members to see past conversations, addressing a fundamental user frustration. This seemingly small update could significantly enhance group communication, especially for late joiners needing context in active chats, and signals a potential shift towards more user-centric design.
‘Group Message History’ will let people catch up on conversations after they have joined them
TechWhatsApp update finally introduces ‘one of its most requested features’‘Group Message History’ will let people catch up on conversations after they have joined themAndrew Griffin Thursday 19 February 2026 13:04 ESTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover(AFP via Getty Images)Your support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreA WhatsApp update has added what it says is one of the app’s most requested features.Users will now be able to see messages from before the time they joined the group, allowing them to catch up.On WhatsApp, when somebody joins a group, they only see the messages that have been sent since they joined. That means that being added to a busy group can be confusing, since there is no way of catching up on what has already been discussed.Now, when someone is added to a group, other members can choose to send recent messages to those new users, allowing them to be caught up.The existing behaviour will remain the default, and someone must take the action to send those old messages to a new joiner. Admins will be able to switch the setting off for a given group.When they do, they will be given the option of forwarding between 25 and 100 of the most recent messages. If that happens, everyone in the group is notified and the messages show up with a different look to make clear they have been forwarded.Those messages are still end-to-end encrypted, like all messages on WhatsApp, the company stressed.The new feature is a “quicker, more private way to keep conversations flowing, with no more screenshots, and no more unnecessary message forwarding”, WhatsApp said in its announcement.The feature is now being rolled out “gradually”, WhatsApp said,More aboutWhatsAppJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesCommentsMost popularPopular videosBulletinRead next
