WhatsApp Admins Now Have the Ability To Control Who Can Join a Group

WhatsApp is rolling out two new features for you to get more out of group chats on the platform.

Credit: Reuters

The first gives admins more control over their group's privacy as they now have the ability to decide who can join a group. Prior to the update, anyone can join a group through invite links that existing members can send out. The addition of the feature should help a group ensure their chat is only seen and accessible to the intended members. It's worth pointing out as well that previously it wasn't as easy to keep track of new members joining groups since the banners for them were small and could quickly be buried from view after messages come in.

The other feature is focused on Communities, which WhatsApp rolled out last year. Communities essentially bring multiple related and standalone group chats together under one roof. The update adds a feature that makes it easy to see which groups you have in common with your contacts. You simply search a contact's name, and you'll see the groups you have in common.

Credit: WhatsApp

WhatsApp said the two features will start rolling out globally over the coming weeks.

The announcement of the new features comes after a number of updates to the platform. In March this year, WhatsApp added the ability to create "Expiring Groups", a type of group chat that lets you set the date when you'll leave it. They're appropriate for group chats you might create for an event, for example, or a one-time discussion that you won't ever revisit. It also helps keep your chats organized without having to go through them one by one. The expiration dates you set, however, only apply to yourself, so the chats you once were part of can continue to exist even without you. The feature is reportedly still in beta testing, with no release window yet, as of writing.

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• WhatsApp is rolling out two new features to improve the privacy and accessibility of Communities and group chats.

• The first of which gives admins the ability to decide who can join a group.

• The other is focused on Communities, specifically a feature that makes it easier to see which groups you have in common with your contacts.