WhatsApp’s voice chat feature is official now for large groups, details here

WhatsApp’s voice chat feature will be introduced in larger group chats with 33 to 128 participants in the initial phase, as stated on the WhatsApp’s page about the feature.

WhatsApp’s voice chat summary:

• The new voice chat feature will function differently than the existing ability of making voice calls with up to 32 participants.
• Participants in a group will not receive any notification when a voice chat begins.
• Instead, they will receive a push banner notification with an in-chat bubble pop-up that allows them to join by tapping on it.

WhatsApp has planned to introduced a new voice chat feature in the upcoming weeks, offering a compliant method for conducting voice calls in larger groups. Although this feature was initially tested in beta, WhatsApp has now officially announced its public release.

Compare to the existing capability of making voice calls with up to 32 participants in a group, the new voice chat feature operates differently. Participants in a group will not be automatically notified when a voice chat begins; instead, they will receive a push notification, accompanied by an in-chat bubble that allows them to join by tapping.

Call controls will be conveniently accessible from the top of the chat during a voice chat and without obstructing a participant’s ability to send text messages simultaneously at the same time. Like individual WhatsApp messages, voice chats benefit from end-to-end encryption and can include up to 32 participants.

The rollout of voice chats is scheduled for both Android and iOS platforms in the upcoming weeks. Initially, the feature will be introduced in larger group chats with 33 to 128 participants, as per the WhatsApp’s page about the feature. This approach ensures that not everyone in a group can join a voice chat simultaneously. Groups with fewer than 33 users are likely not prioritized, given the availability of WhatsApp’s existing group voice calls feature for smaller groups.

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How to start a voice chat:

Voice chats allow you to instantly talk live with members of a group chat while still being able to message in the group.

To start a voice chat:

1. Open the group chat you want to start a voice chat with.
2. Tap (Wave icon) in the top right corner of the screen.
3. Tap Start Voice Chat.
4. To leave a voice chat, tap X icon.

Once you start the voice chat, group members will receive a push notification to join instead of a call. You can see who has joined the voice chat in a banner on the bottom of the screen.