WhatsApp has rolled out a set of new group chat features, headlined by the @all mention tag that lets a single message alert every participant in a group at once. The update also brings smarter polls and a faster way to spin off side conversations, and should reach all users over the coming weeks.
WhatsApp @all Tag: How It Works
The @all tag eliminates the need to individually mention each member when a message is genuinely urgent — think school closures, last-minute schedule changes, or event deadlines. Type @all in the message composer the same way you would @mention a single contact, and everyone in the group receives a notification.
Two guardrails are worth noting. First, in groups with more than 32 members, only admins can use @all — regular participants cannot. Second, @all notifications will reach members even if they have muted the group chat entirely. If that feels intrusive, members can separately mute @all alerts through their group notification settings, so individual control is preserved.
Poll Upgrades
Polls get three additions. Creators can now set an end time that automatically locks voting when the deadline passes, useful for time-boxed decisions like picking a meeting slot. Voter names can be hidden so participants respond more honestly without social pressure. And a 15-minute editing window after posting lets creators fix a typo or clarify wording without deleting and recreating the entire poll.
Create a New Group From an Existing One
The third feature addresses a common friction point: splitting off a subset of an existing group into a new chat. Rather than manually adding members one by one, WhatsApp now offers a single-tap option to create a new group populated with participants from a chat you are already in. The company suggests it is useful for surprise-party planning, event logistics, or diving into a topic without cluttering the main thread.
All three features build on the group chat improvements WhatsApp shipped earlier this year, including group message history for new members and member tags. To get them, make sure WhatsApp is updated to the latest version from the Play Store or App Store.
Source: WhatsApp Blog
