WhatsApp Rolls Out New Voice Chat Feature For Large Groups: All You Need To Know

The Meta-owned instant messaging application WhatsApp is rolling out voice chats for large groups on Android and iOS, streamlining group communication with the ability to initiate group calls silently without causing interruptions for others.

With this feature, the instant messaging app is making it easier for users to communicate in their group chats, introducing a new way to start voice calls by sending silent push notifications without interrupting everyone else in the group.

“After installing the latest versions of WhatsApp for iOS from the App Store and the TestFlight app, and WhatsApp for Android from the Google Play Store, WhatsApp is widely rolling out this feature to everyone,” WABetaInfo reported.

The screenshot shared in a report revealed that voice chats brings a completely fresh experience to WhatsApp calling, simplifying connections for everyone at a later time. Anyone can join voice chats in their groups at any time and start speaking, without ringing everyone else in the group chat.

If a voice chat remains inactive for 60 minutes, it will automatically conclude, but participants retain the ability to commence a new voice chat whenever they choose. The unveiling of this feature was initially made in Will Cathcart’s official channel, and subsequently, WhatsApp officially shared the announcement on their channel. It’s noteworthy that this feature is widely accessible on WhatsApp for Android, despite the screenshot being taken from the iOS version.

Voice chats offer a significant advantage as they allow calls to begin without ringing each member’s phone in the group. To be more specific, when a voice chat is initiated, each group member receives a discreet push notification. Those not participating in the ongoing voice chat can observe the active participants from the chat header and the Calls tab, with the flexibility to join or leave the call at any time.

The feature is available for those groups of 33 to 128 members. In addition, it is not currently available on linked devices. The voice chat feature for large groups is available after installing the latest versions of WhatsApp for iOS from the App Store and WhatsApp for Android from the Google Play Store, and it’s rolling out to more users over the coming days.