WhatsApp is rolling out a new “Recent History” feature for group chats, enabling newly added members to view messages from the past 24 hours to improve conversational context. This update aims to solve a long-standing issue where new participants lacked crucial background from previous discussions.
Group administrators will have the option to activate this feature when adding individuals to a chat. New members will only be able to see messages sent within the 24 hours prior to their joining.
The functionality is currently being tested in the latest beta version of the application for Android devices, according to WABetaInfo. Messages shared through the “Recent History” feature will remain end-to-end encrypted, maintaining user privacy standards.
This new capability is designed to alleviate the burden on existing members who often have to re-explain ongoing conversations to new arrivals. It can be particularly useful for those joining a group late via an invite link.
To prevent overwhelming users in larger groups, the system limits the shared history to a maximum of 1,000 messages within the 24-hour window.
While beneficial for understanding past exchanges, the feature also introduces a potential privacy concern for some existing members. They might prefer that new entrants do not see previous discussions.
Administrators will receive a notification when adding a user, allowing them to manage this setting directly within group preferences. This enhancement follows previous improvements to group functionality, such as increases in maximum member capacity.