WhatsApp adds @all mentions and tighter poll controls

WhatsApp is rolling out a set of group-chat upgrades focused on coordination: @all mentions, new poll controls, and a way to start a new chat from an existing group. The biggest rule is on the alerting feature: in groups with more than 32 members, @all is limited to admins. That gives larger groups a direct way to push announcements without opening the tool to everyone, while polls now support anonymous voting, end times, and a 15-minute edit window. The update is arriving as a feature rollout, not a redesign of how WhatsApp chats work.

@all alerts reach the whole group, with an admin limit in larger chats

The new @all mention is the clearest addition for busy groups because it can notify the entire chat at once. For operators using WhatsApp to coordinate schedules, deadlines, pickups, or internal handoffs, that removes the need to tag people one by one or rely on a plain message getting noticed in a fast-moving thread. In practical terms, it gives WhatsApp groups a more reliable announcement layer inside the same conversation where the work is already happening.

WhatsApp is also putting a clear boundary around that feature in bigger chats. In groups with more than 32 members, only admins can use @all, which should help keep large rooms from turning into constant all-hands alerts. Availability is still unfolding as the rollout begins, and WhatsApp has not spelled out which countries, app versions, or account groups are getting the tools first.

Polls get privacy, timing, and edit controls

The second part of the update targets one of the most common jobs inside active groups: making a decision without flooding the chat. Poll creators can now hide voter names, which adds a privacy option for questions where members may not want their choice attached publicly. They can also set an end time for voting, making it easier to run a quick decision with a clear cutoff instead of leaving a poll open indefinitely.

WhatsApp is also letting creators edit a poll question within 15 minutes of posting. That matters when a date, wording mistake, or option needs to be fixed right after a poll goes live, without forcing the group to ignore the first version and vote again in a replacement post. Together, anonymous voting, end times, and a 15-minute edit window make polls more useful for sign-offs, planning, and short-turn decisions inside the app.

Side conversations can split off from an existing group

The third feature is a simpler workflow change with an immediate day-to-day payoff. Users can start a new chat from an existing group, which lets a smaller set of people move a side discussion out of the main thread without manually rebuilding the participant list. In a work group, that could mean breaking out a follow-up conversation after a decision is made; in a community or family chat, it could mean taking logistics or one topic out of the broader stream.

That split-off option addresses a common problem in large group chats: useful follow-up discussion often clogs the same room where announcements and decisions need to stay visible. By letting people branch into a separate chat more quickly, WhatsApp is trying to make active groups easier to run while keeping the core messaging model intact. It also continues a broader product direction in which WhatsApp adds collaboration-style tools around groups rather than changing the app into a different kind of platform.

Disclaimer: This article was created with the assistance of AI. Images are for illustrative purposes only.