16 WhatsApp Group Tips and Tricks That All Users Should Know

Quick Tips

• Tapping the group name and selecting Media, Links, and Docs helps easily find anything in a group.
• I regularly use the star or pin feature to bookmark important messages in a group chat and access them easily.
• My favorite feature has to be inviting new members to a group using a shareable invite link from the group settings.

Note: The below features have been illustrated with images and instructions using an iPhone. Most steps remain the same – but if you do not find options after you tap and hold a message on your Android device, open the three-dots menu to expand the list of features.

1. Quickly Find Media Files Exchanged

To quickly view all the photos, videos, and files that have been exchanged in the group – tap on the group name, and go to Media, Links, and Docs. You can easily find what you are looking for!

2. Search Messages or Participants

Want to find a needle in the haystack? Tap on the group name, and select the Search icon to find any message in the group chat.

Additionally, you can also scroll down and use the search icon to find a participant in the list.

3. Add a Group Description

Are you someone who creates a group for every conversation that includes more than two people? Tap on the group name up top, and Add a Group Description, to insert a context that helps you identify the group chat.

4. Make a Group Voice or Video Call

WhatsApp lets you talk to all the members of a group using voice or video calls – all you need to do is use the ribbon at the top of the chat.

Alternatively, you can also go to the group chat settings menu, and then select what you want to do.

5. Star Messages for Easy Access

To bookmark important messages sent in a group, long tap on a message and Star it. To view the bookmarked message, tap on the group name in the chat, and go to Starred Messages.

6. Pin a Message to a Chat

To pin a message under the banner of the group chat – tap and hold a message, and select Pin Message. Select the duration you want to pin it for – and it’ll stay on top of your chat.

7. Add Custom Notifications and Sounds

To set custom notifications for a group, tap on the group name at the top of the chat, go to Notifications and Sounds, and change the settings as per your needs.

You can also Mute Notifications in this menu to silence alerts from a group.

Also Read: How to fix WhatsApp group notifications not working

8. Modify Group Details

To modify the details of a group chat, tap on the group name at the top of the chat, and select Edit. On the next screen, you can rename the group, or add/edit the profile picture for it.

9. Modify Group Permissions

You can modify the permissions for a group chat in the following ways:

• Prevent members from changing the group settings.
• Prevent members from sending messages, and only allow admins to do so.
• Prevent members from adding other members to the group.
• Add or remove admins.

Tap on the group name on top of the chat, and go to Group Permissions to modify the above.

10. Enable Disappearing Messages

Disappearing messages automatically delete all the texts in chat after a certain duration. Tap on the group name at the top of the chat, go to Disappearing Messages, and select the duration to enable it.

11. Lock Chats on Your Device

To protect your group chat with a passcode/biometrics on your device, tap on the group name at the top of the chat, and turn on Lock Chat.

Also Read: How to create a WhatsApp group with yourself

12. Change Media Download Settings

If you want to automatically download the media received in a group chat, tap on the group name at the top of the chat, select Save to Photos, and choose your preferred option.

13. Invite New Members Via Link

It’s a hassle to save a contact, and then manually add them to a WhatsApp group – instead, you can use the Invite to Group via Link feature, and share the link with them. They will be able to join the group using the same.

If you want people to join the group only after your approval – go to Group Permissions and turn on Approve New Members.

Also Read: How to add and invite someone to WhatsApp group.

14. Export Group Chat

To keep a record of the activity in a group chat – use the Export Chat option in the group settings menu. Select whether you want to export with or without media. The chat will export as a ZIP file.

15. Modify Members in Group

To remove or change the status of a member in the group – tap on the group name at the top of the chat, and select the member from the participant list.

You can remove them from the group, or make/dismiss them as an admin.

Also Read: WhatsApp Groups vs. Communities: Understand the differences

16. Reply Privately to a Message

To send a member a private message about something they sent on a group chat, tap and hold the message you want to refer to and select Reply Privately.