WhatsApp launches voice chats for groups

Unlike the well-known group calling feature, starting a voice chat does not cause all members’ phones to ring. Instead, each person receives a silent notification and can join the voice call in chat if they wish. This means that the function is significantly less intrusive than a call that reaches all group members with a single ring. The new functionality is reminiscent of Discord, but also of features available to users on Telegram and Slack. Users can continue to communicate with the group via chat while voice chatting.

How to start a group voice chat

WhatsApp explained On the help pageThe function is currently only available for calls with up to 32 participants – but this will likely change soon. It is already possible to start a voice chat in groups with more than 32 members, but only a maximum of 32 people can participate. In the screenshot below you can see how to make a voice call from group chat:

Alternatively, you can also start a voice chat from the Calls tab in the app. To do this, go to New Call, select New Group Call, find the contacts you want to add to the call, then tap Voice Call. The feature will be rolled out to large groups with more than 33 members in the coming weeks.

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