WhatsApp Is Testing Group Chat History Sharing for New Members, Will Introduce Ad-Free Subscription Plan for Updates Tab: Report
WhatsApp is testing a feature allowing new group members to access up to 100 recent messages from the last 14 days, ensuring context when joining. The company is also developing an optional ad-free subscription for Europe and the UK, priced around €4, letting users remove ads from the Updates tab while maintaining privacy and regulatory compliance.
Mumbai, January 25: WhatsApp is testing a new feature that allows existing group members to share recent chat history with new participants, ensuring they have the necessary context upon joining. Alongside this, the Meta-owned platform is reportedly developing an optional subscription plan for users in Europe and the UK to enjoy an ad-free experience within the Updates tab.
The group history sharing tool, currently being rolled out to iOS beta testers via the TestFlight program, aims to bridge the communication gap for new joiners who previously entered groups with no access to prior discussions. While competing platforms like Telegram have long offered this functionality, WhatsApp’s version focuses on a controlled approach to maintain user privacy and security. OpenAI Reportedly Developing ‘Shopping Cart’ Feature for ChatGPT, New Tool To Enable Native Checkout and Merchant Product Feeds.
WhatsApp Group Chat History
The new group chat history feature allows members to share up to 100 recent messages sent within the last 14 days with a new joinee. This option appears at the bottom of the screen when adding a new member, and the messages shared are highlighted in a different colour to distinguish them from live, ongoin conversations.
Notably, the feature is turned off by default, ensuring that no history is shared without explicit action from the person adding the new member. To maintain transparency, all existing group participants are notified when a chat history is shared, and the system adds a message to the group indicating which user initiated the share.
WhatsApp Ad-Free Subscription Plan
In a significant move to comply with European regulations, WhatsApp is exploring a subscription model that would allow users to remove advertisements from the Updates tab. This section, which houses Status updates and Channels, has recently seen the introduction of promoted content and ads in various regions, including the United States.
The proposed plan is expected to be priced at approximately €4, though this remains speculative and may vary across different European markets. Subscribing to this optional service would ensure that users do not encounter promoted channels or advertisements after viewing a certain number of status updates, mirroring the "pay or consent" models already implemented by Meta for Facebook and Instagram.
European Regulatory Compliance
The development of this subscription plan is primarily aimed at the UK and European markets to meet strict digital advertising and data privacy requirements. By offering a paid alternative, Meta provides users with a choice between a free, ad-supported experience or a paid, private experience that does not rely on basic signals like location or language for ad targeting. Grok Imagine New Feature Update: Elon Musk’s xAI Launches 10-Second Video Generation; Comes With Improved Audio and Video Quality.
Currently, these features are in various stages of development and beta testing. While the group history sharing is visible to select iOS and Android beta users, the ad-free subscription remains under development and is expected to be released in a future update once all regulatory hurdles are cleared.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 25, 2026 10:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).