Written By Deepti Ratnam
Written By Deepti Ratnam
Edited by Deepti Ratnam |Published: Aug 05, 2026, 01:27 PM (IST)
WhatsApp's latest update makes group chats smarter with new polling and mention features
WhatsApp has unveiled some new features to make large group chats easier to handle. This new update adds poll deadlines, anonymous votes, @all mentions and a faster method to start new group chats in conversations. The new tools allow users to better coordinate events, share vital information and conduct discussions more effectively. 
Also Read: WhatsApp glitch accidentally bans accounts, lock out users worldwide: Meta restores affected accounts
The features will be rolled out over the next few weeks. Also Read: 7 WhatsApp habits that affect your privacy
WhatsApp is improving on the polling feature with a couple of new additions that will allow for more flexible group decision making.
Users can now create a poll’s end time and voting will close automatically. This allows for poll collection to be more convenient prior to a meeting or event, or at any time before the activity is time-sensitive, without having to manually close the poll.
The platform will also be launching anonymous voting, so users can share their thoughts more confidentially, with their voter names concealed.
Poll creators will also have the ability to edit questions to their poll within 15 minutes of posting it. This way, users can correct their typing errors or explain the choices without removing the previous poll and starting again.
One of the biggest new features is that users can tag people individually or tag @all to notify all members of the group.
WhatsApp says that the feature is perfect for announcing last-minute changes in schedules, school updates, event reminders, or office closures. The @all mention will be available for group administrators in larger groups (more than 32 participants).
The notifications are still sent to members when the group is muted. Users can however turn off @all alerts via WhatsApp’s notification settings if they prefer not to receive such notifications.
Meanwhile, WhatsApp is making it easier to kick off conversations that are related.
Users can now create a new group from an existing group chat without having to re-select members. This can be helpful if having different areas for different conversations.
It can be helpful for event organisation, for organising a surprise party, to start a project discussion, or to switch to a group of people without having to create the group again.
The new features for the group chats are being rolled out “gradually” to users all over the world and will be available in the coming weeks.
The new features build on Meta’s promise to make WhatsApp more valuable to businesses, communities, and large family groups using group chats for daily communication, and to schools.
