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About WhatsApp Channels
We’re currently experiencing a problem with channel share links showing as invalid. We're working on fixing it at the moment. In the meantime, we recommend keeping WhatsApp updated on your device. Updates are released regularly and may contain fixes for bugs and other issues.
Get information and relevant updates directly in WhatsApp by following channels. Follow the channels of people and organizations that interest you to get updates from them, including text, links to information, photos, and videos.
Channel updates appear in a separate tab of the app (the Updates tab), away from your personal chats and calls. While some features might feel familiar to WhatsApp chats, channel updates are a one-way broadcast rather than a conversation. Followers can’t reply directly to updates or send messages to channel admins. Instead, they can show their interest in a channel’s content by voting on polls or adding emoji reactions to channel updates.
You can also browse and create channels on Desktop for Mac and WhatsApp Web.
Note: Channels isn't currently available on Desktop for Windows.
Get the updates you want, when and how you want them
You can choose how you want to hear from the channels you follow:
- Notifications are muted by default. To get notified about new updates, you can turn on notifications for each channel.
- Channels appear in a separate tab, so you can choose to look at them when you want.
- Follow people or organizations you’re interested in. You're not automatically subscribed to channels. You can browse before you follow, and you can unfollow a channel at any time.
A private way to follow topics you care about
As always, your privacy is a priority.
- People viewing a channel, even other followers, can’t see who is following a channel, and your profile information and interactions with channel content (like emoji reactions or poll votes) aren’t visible to them. They can’t see your name, phone number, or profile picture.
- Channel admins may see your profile photo next to emoji reactions or poll votes, depending on your privacy settings. Admins can’t see your full phone number or profile name unless they have you saved as a contact.
Read more about safety and privacy on channels.
