WhatsApp Launches New Group Chat Features Including Mass Mentions and Anonymous Polls

WhatsApp announced a major update to its group chat functionality on August 4, 2026, introducing three key features aimed at improving group communication and decision-making. The update is now available for both iOS and Android users worldwide.

The most notable addition is the group mention feature, which allows users to tag all members of a group simultaneously by typing a specific character. This sends a direct notification to every participant, even if the group is muted, ensuring urgent messages are not missed. To prevent misuse, in groups larger than 32 members, only administrators can use this feature, and users can customize notification settings to mute these alerts.

WhatsApp also enhanced its polling system by enabling poll creators to set a closing time for votes, edit questions within 15 minutes of posting, and activate anonymous voting. The anonymity option encourages honest feedback by hiding voters' identities from other group members and administrators.

Additionally, WhatsApp now allows users to quickly create side chats from existing groups. This feature automatically includes current group members and lets users select participants for focused discussions without manually adding contacts. It is designed for organizing specific events or logistics without cluttering the main group chat.

These updates complement previous Meta improvements such as username protection, event reminders, and message history viewing for new group members. WhatsApp is gradually rolling out these features to its global user base of 3 billion. Users who have not yet received the updates are advised to ensure their app is updated to the latest version via Apple’s App Store or Google Play.