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WhatsApp Group Admins can now control who sends messages: A look at all new features

WhatsApp new features on Groups makes it easier for admins to control conversations by limiting who can send messages in groups
WhatsApp has been adding new features across groups, especially for admins in order to make it easier for some to control the kind of conversations that take place in these groups. The latest WhatsApp feature for Group Admins will make it easy for them to restrict who can send messages to the entire group. This is an important setting, which is being rolled out for iOS and Android users of the popular messaging app. Here’s a look at all the new features regarding WhatsApp Groups and for Group Admins.
WhatsApp new features for Group Admins: Control messages

“Today, we’re launching a new group setting where only admins are able to send messages to a group. One way people use groups is to receive important announcements and information, including parents and teachers at schools, community centers, and non-profit organizations. We’ve introduced this new setting so admins can have better tools for these use cases, ” WhatsApp said in a blog post.

This one-way broadcast feature is being compared to a similar one on rival messaging app Telegram.

WhatsApp users who are admins of a group can access the feature by tapping on Group Settings> Send Messages and choosing from two options: All Participants and Only Admins. While the former option will let all participants of a group send messages, the latter option restricts the functionality to only group admins.

For example, if there is a group started by a school to make key announcements for parents, they can restrict the option for sending messages to only admins, which in this case would be the teachers and school administration.

Thus the group will be limited to just announcements, rather than everyone messaging and important alerts getting lost in long conversation threads. Of course, it also means parents cannot raises questions in such a group and may need another group to serve that purpose.

WhatsApp groups, WhatsApp groups Admin, WhatsApp groups sms, WhatsApp groups Messages, WhatsApp groups feature, WhatsApp new update, WhatsApp Features, whatsapp group admin rights, whatsapp new features, WhatsApp for android, WhatsApp for iOS, WhatsApp for Windows WhatsApp has been rolling out more controls for admins. (Image source: Reuters)

WhatsApp says this setting is rolling out to all users around the world on the latest supported versions of the app. Users will have to update their iOS, Android app from the respective app store in order to get the new feature.

WhatsApp rolled out this feature earlier this year and it allows admins, other participants to add a description to group chats. Say there are multiple office groups, each for a distinct purpose, then the admin can add the group description at the bottom of the name for more clarity. WhatsApp users need to tap on the group name where they would like to add a description.

Next tap on “Group Info” section, followed by “Description” section right below the name of the group and add the desired description. When a new person joins a group, the description will show up at the top of the chat, says WhatsApp. Again Admins can restrict who can add descriptions, be it all participants or just those who are designated as admins.

In group settings, there is a new control option, which lets admins restrict who can change the group’s subject, icon, and description. The setting also lets users edit Group admins and remove some as admins without removing them from the group, which was not possible before.

Admins can go to Group Settings > Edit Group Info and choose between All Participants or Only Group Admins for this setting. Finally, group creators can no longer be removed from the group they started. Also users can no longer be repeatedly added to groups they left earlier.