WhatsApp Rolls Out Voice Chats for Large Groups - MacRumors
Skip to Content

WhatsApp Rolls Out Voice Chats for Large Groups

WhatsApp is rolling out a new voice chats feature in groups that lets users start voice calls without disturbing everyone in the group.

whatsapp voice chats
Previously in WhatsApp group chats, the only option was to start a voice call, which rings every member in the group. If no-one joins, the call doesn't go ahead.

In contrast, voice chats can be initiated in a group without anyone joining, and users are prompted to join discreetly via a silent push notification. The feature is available for those WhatsApp groups with 33 to 128 members.

Group members not participating in the voice chat can see who is active in the call from the chat header and the Calls tab, and people can join or leave at any time. If the encrypted chat remains empty for 60 minutes, it automatically ends.

As noted by WABetaInfo, the feature is now appearing for users on iOS and Android who have installed the latest WhatsApp update from the App Store and Google Play Store, respectively.

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Next to iPhone

Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: It's Out]

Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by
Update 10:04 a.m.: iOS 27 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event...
iOS 27 Icon iPhone

iOS 27 Available Today With These 8 New Features

Monday September 14, 2026 9:00 am PDT by
Update: Apple has released iOS 27. During its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo event last week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released widely on Monday, September 14. iOS 27 should be available around 10 a.m. Pacific Time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time today via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features and changes coming with iOS...
deep black iphone 18 pro

Apple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Sold in U.S. Differs in One Way

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:27 pm PDT by
As noted by Nicolas Lellouche, who writes for the French tech website Numerama, Apple has updated its tech specs pages for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to clarify which models are equipped with its new C2 cellular modem and where. Apple now says the iPhone 18 Pro has a C2 modem worldwide, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses the chip in every country except for the U.S. According...

Top Rated Comments

37 months ago
I would prefer WhatsApp to roll out an Apple Watch app!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
37 months ago
Is there an iPad app coming or what? It’s becoming a joke
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Trausner Avatar
37 months ago
where is the iPad app?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pupi Avatar
37 months ago

The feature is available for those WhatsApp groups with 33 to 128 members.
So if you are in a 32 people group this feature is simply not for you.

Whatsapp continues the series of braindead decisions.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sideshowuniqueuser Avatar
37 months ago

So if you are in a 32 people group this feature is simply not for you.

Whatsapp continues the series of braindead decisions.
Good point. Should simply be an option for all calls, group or not, regardless of group size. Why place unnecessary artificial limits to features? Users will find a use case you never thought of, and all you're going to do is annoy them that it exists but isn't accessible.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
37 months ago
Good to know about this feature.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)