WhatsApp rolls out ‘Restrict Group’ feature for admins: How it works

Restrict Group feature lets admins restrict other members from sending text messages, photographs, videos, GIFs, documents or voice messages in a group.

Facebook-owned WhatsApp is rolling out its “Restrict Group” for all iOS, Android and Windows Phone users -- a feature that gives the group administrator powers to restrict other members from sending text messages, photographs, videos, GIFs, documents or voice messages in case the admin thinks so.

According to WABetaInfo, a popular fan site that tests new WhatsApp features early, you need to update your WhatsApp version to the 2.18.132 Android update in order to remotely receive the activation of the feature. The “Restrict Group” feature, first spotted in last December, adds “Privacy settings” in the group.

“All participants can normally edit the group description, icon and subject, but finally the administrator can restrict this feature today, preventing no-administrators to modify the group description,” the website said.

How it works

This action can be managed in the Admin Settings, a new option located in Group Info that’s visible to the administrator only. In Admin Settings, the administrator can restrict who can change the group info. Administrators can keep sharing media and chatting as normal as they restrict other members.

Once restricted, other members will simply have to read their messages and will not be able to respond. They will have to use the “Message Admin” button to post a message or share media to the group. The message will need to be approved by the administrator before going through to the rest of the group.

In October, reports said administrators on WhatsApp groups will soon be able to choose if other participants can modify the subject of the group, its icon and its description. With over 1.5 billion monthly active users, WhatsApp is available in more than 50 different languages around the world and in 10 Indian languages.