Creating group chats without adding participants#
October 20, 2025
WhatsApp continues to develop its functionality, striving to unify the user experience across all platforms. A recent update to the messenger's mobile app introduced a new feature for creating group chats.
Table of Contents#
What does it mean#
Now, when you create a new group in the WhatsApp mobile app, you'll have the option to skip the member selection step. This means you can first create the group, customize its name and image, and then decide who to invite and when. The group will remain "empty" until you add the members you want.
What is this for#
The reasons why users might prefer this new way to create groups are varied:
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Thinking About Group Composition Many want to carefully consider who to invite to a group. Creating an empty group allows you to first define the group's purpose and then selectively add members who can best contribute to the discussion. This reduces the risk of accidentally inviting the wrong people or adding too many members at the outset.
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Pre-Configure a Group Some users prefer to fully configure the group first. They may want to choose an appropriate name and set a profile picture that reflects the group's theme before inviting anyone.
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Personal Space for Notes and Ideas Empty groups can serve as a personal space for users. Many already use single-member groups (themselves) to store important information, links, notes, and media. This feature makes it easy to create such groups, making it easier to back up content or organize reminders and ideas. These "personal" groups provide a secure and private space for tracking important information, without the distraction of other members' messages. Users can use them to draft, brainstorm, or gather information for future discussions or projects without worrying about who else is in the group.
Availability#
This new feature is already available in the stable versions of WhatsApp for iOS and Android. We recommend updating your app if you can't find it.
Conclusion#
The update, which allows you to create group chats without immediately adding participants, is a significant step forward for WhatsApp users on mobile devices. It adds flexibility, control, and consistency to the user experience. This feature, along with other improvements, demonstrates WhatsApp's commitment to continuously improving the platform, making communication even more convenient and tailored to user needs.
At GREEN-API, we monitor all WhatsApp updates to provide you with the latest news and solutions for automating your business processes. Stay tuned to stay up-to-date with all the latest developments!