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About WhatsApp Channels
Get information and relevant updates directly in WhatsApp by following the channels of people and organizations that interest you. Follow a channel to get updates like text, links to information, photos, or videos from them.
Updates appear in a separate tab of the app, 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 find channels under the Updates tab (formerly the Status tab).
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 are in the Updates 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.
When using channels:
- People viewing a channel, even other followers, can’t see who else 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 security and privacy on channels.
Note:
- WhatsApp Channels has begun rolling out but isn’t available to everyone yet. Join the waitlist to be notified when WhatsApp Channels is available to you.
- Where channels is available, we’re rolling out new features gradually. Some features, like being able to create a channel, might not be available to you yet.
