To add someone to a WhatsApp group chat, open the group, tap or click its name, choose the add members option, select the person, and confirm. You need to be an admin or a member with permission to add people. You can also send a group invitation so the person can choose to join.
The short version
- Android: Open the group details, tap Add, select contacts, then confirm the addition.
- iPhone: Open the group details, choose the option to add members, select contacts, and tap Add to confirm.
- Invitation links: Send a group invitation when you want the recipient to choose to join.
- Permissions: Group permissions and the recipient’s privacy settings can affect direct additions.
| Method or option | Platform | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Add saved contacts directly | Android | You have permission to add members |
| Add contacts directly | iPhone | You have permission to add members |
| Enter an unsaved number | iPhone | The number is not saved as a contact |
| Add from a contact’s profile | iPhone | You want to select one or several eligible groups |
| Add contacts in a browser | WhatsApp Web | You have a linked browser session and permission |
| Add contacts in the Windows app | Windows | You have permission to add members |
| Add contacts in the Mac app | Mac | You have permission to add members |
| Use a new group’s context card | WhatsApp Web | You administer a newly created group |
| Share a group invitation | Android | You want to send, post, share, or copy a link |
| Open group invitation controls | iPhone | You want to access the group’s link invitation |
| Send or copy an invitation | Web and Windows | You have invitation privileges |
| Send, copy, or share an invitation | Mac | You have invitation privileges |
| Display a group QR code | Android and Mac | You want someone to scan an invitation |
| Join through an invitation | Android, iPhone, Web, Windows, and Mac | You received a valid group link |
| Send a private invitation | At the privacy restriction prompt | An admin’s direct addition is blocked by privacy settings |
| Invite a nonuser by SMS | Android | Your contact does not yet use WhatsApp |
| Use the alternate SMS invitation flow | iPhone, if offered | You see Invite via SMS |
| Remind or resend invitations | Android | You administer a group with outstanding invitations |
| Allow members to add people | WhatsApp Web | You administer the group |
| Allow members to share invitations | WhatsApp Web | You administer the group |
| Control approval for joining | WhatsApp Web | You administer the group |
| Promote another group admin | WhatsApp Web | You want an existing member to manage additions |
| Change who can add you | Your phone | You want to adjust your group privacy settings |
| Grant contact access | iPhone | A contact is missing from the picker |
| Select people during group creation | Android, Web, Windows, and Mac | You want a new conversation |
| Start a group from an individual chat | Android | You want to begin group creation from that chat |
| Create a similar group | Android | You want a separate group with an adjusted membership |
| Make a community group visible | Android | You want community members to find the group |
| Get WhatsApp before accepting | The recipient’s platform | The recipient needs the app first |
Add someone on Android
Open the WhatsApp group you want to add someone to, then tap the group name at the top. Tap Add and select the saved contacts you want to include, then confirm the addition.
For someone who does not yet use WhatsApp, open the group, tap its name, then open the option to add members and select the contacts. Tap Add members, then tap Invite via SMS. This SMS invitation helps them join WhatsApp and the group. If WhatsApp can’t send it for you, tap Invite directly to use the prepared SMS.
If you receive an invitation and need WhatsApp first, open the official Download WhatsApp page and choose the offering for your platform before accepting. Downloading WhatsApp alone does not add you to the group.
Add someone on iPhone
Open the group and tap its subject at the top to reach the group details. Choose the option to add members, select the contacts you want, then tap Add to confirm.
You can also reach the details from the Chats tab. Swipe left on the group, tap More, then tap Group Info. Continue with the same contact selection and confirmation steps.
To add an unsaved number, open the group, tap its subject, then tap + Add members. Enter and select the phone number, tap Add, then tap Add to group. You need permission to add members for this method too.
To add a contact to one or several groups, open their profile and, under Groups in common, tap Add to groups. Select the eligible groups and tap Done. The contact must use WhatsApp, and full or restricted groups cannot be selected. Communities and community announcement groups don’t appear in the group list.
If your iPhone offers the alternate SMS invitation flow, open the group, tap its name, then open the option to add members. Select the contact and tap Add. If prompted, select Allow, then enter a message and tap Invite via SMS.
Add members from your computer
In a linked WhatsApp Web browser session, open the group and click its name. Click Add member, select your contacts, then click the checkmark. Click Add member to confirm the addition.
On Web, you can also open More Options or the down-chevron menu and choose Group info. If you administer a newly created group, another entry point is Add members on its context card. Click it, select people, then confirm the addition.
In the Windows app, open the group, click its name, then click Add members. Select your contacts and click the checkmark.
On Mac, open the group and click its name, then click the option to add members. Select the contacts you want to include and click Add. Each computer method requires permission to add members.
Invite people with a link or QR code
An invitation lets the recipient choose to join. You need permission to create or share invitations, and admin approval can affect admission. After opening a valid invitation link, the recipient taps or clicks Join group.
On Android, open the group, tap its name, then tap Invite via link or QR code. Choose Send link via WhatsApp, select recipients, and tap the send icon. You can also choose Send link via SMS, Send link via email, or Share link to send it through another app.
To paste the Android invitation elsewhere, tap Copy link, then paste it where needed. To post it to your WhatsApp Status, tap Share to my status. To display a scannable group invitation from the same invitation controls, tap QR code and show it to the person you want to invite.
On iPhone, open the group and tap its subject. Then tap the option to invite via link to access the invitation controls.
On Web or Windows, open the group, click its name, then click Invite to group via link. Click Copy link and paste the invitation elsewhere, or click Send link via WhatsApp and select recipients. On Web, click the right arrow to send; on Windows, confirm the send after selecting recipients.
On Mac, open the group, click its name, then open the group’s invite-via-link option. Click Send link via WhatsApp, select recipients, and click Send. Alternatively, click Copy link and paste it elsewhere, or click Share link to use another app.
To show a group QR code on Mac, open the same invitation controls and click QR code. Display the code for the recipient to scan. Admin approval can still affect admission.
Give members permission to add people
Ordinary members can add people when the group’s permissions allow it. If you need permission, ask an admin to adjust the group controls or handle the addition.
As an admin using WhatsApp Web, open the group, click its name, then open Group permissions. Turn on Add other members to let members add people directly. The same Group permissions screen also controls whether members can share invitation links.
To control approval for joining on Web, open the group, click its name, then click Group permissions. Turn on Approve new members to require approval, or turn it off to allow joining without approval.
To give an existing member admin privileges on Web, open the group, click its name, then choose Group permissions > Edit group admins. Select the member and click the checkmark. The promoted member can then manage additions and invitations.
Fix blocked additions and expired invitations
If you are an admin, the recipient’s group privacy settings can prevent you from adding them directly. At the privacy restriction prompt, tap Invite to Group; when the prompt offers Continue instead, tap that button. Tap the send button to deliver a private invitation in your individual chat. The recipient has three days to accept it.
If a contact is missing from the iPhone contact picker, open the iPhone’s Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Contacts. Grant access to the contacts you need, then return to the group and try selecting the person again.
If an invitation link has been reset, ask for a current invitation or have an admin add the person directly. If a private invitation message is stuck on one check mark, troubleshoot that message’s delivery.
As an admin on Android, open the group, tap its name, then tap Manage invites. Tap Remind for the original invitation or Resend for an expired invitation. You can also reach these controls through Group Info, the entry showing the number of people Invited, View more, then Manage invites.
Include people when creating a group
On Android, tap the new-chat icon, then tap New group. Select contacts, tap the right arrow, finish the group details, then tap the checkmark. You can also start from an individual chat by opening its three-dot menu and tapping New group, then continuing through the same group creation steps.
On Web or Windows, click the new-chat icon, choose New group, and select contacts. Click the right arrow, then the checkmark. On Mac, click the new-chat icon, choose New group, select contacts, click Next, then click Create.
To create a separate group using an existing membership selection on Android, open the existing group and choose Group info > Create Similar Group. Adjust the selected members, add contacts, then tap Create group. This creates a new conversation.
Make a community group visible
On Android, open Communities, select the community, then choose Add group > Add existing groups. Select the group, tap the right arrow, then choose Group visibility > Visible > Add to community. You select visibility when attaching the group.
For a new community group, choose Create new group and select Visible under Group visibility. Visible groups are available to community members, while hidden groups require an invitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people can a WhatsApp group have?
A WhatsApp group can have up to 1,024 members. If your group has reached that limit, it is full.
Can adding too many people cause a temporary restriction?
Yes, WhatsApp warns that excessive additions can trigger a temporary restriction. If you are adding many people, that restriction can affect further additions.
How can you control who adds you to groups?
On your phone, open WhatsApp Settings > Privacy > Groups. Select Everyone, choose My Contacts, or select My Contacts Except... and adjust the selected contacts for that last option. Tap Done if prompted. You cannot change these settings on Web or Desktop, but changes made on your phone synchronize.
Can parental controls affect joining a group?
Yes, if you manage a preteen’s parent-managed account, you can decide which groups the child can join. Optional teen controls can also require a parent PIN before the teen relaxes who may add them to groups.
Can you use a contact QR code or call link as a group invitation?
Contact QR codes and call links serve different functions from group invitations. To invite someone into the group chat, use the group’s invitation link or group QR code.