WhatsApp groups get new Mention all feature to tag everyone

WhatsApp just dropped its long-awaited ‘@all’ mention feature for some lucky Android beta testers, finally letting them ping an entire group chat in one go.

The feature is currently rolling out to select users on the latest WhatsApp beta for Android, version 2.25.31.9, which you can grab from the Google Play Store’s beta programme. Once you have it, a new ‘@all’ shortcut magically appears in the mention menu right alongside everyone’s names.

Get ready to alert everyone... whether they like it or not

Tapping the new option blasts your message to every single member of the group. It’s supposed to be a big time-saver, letting you ditch the tedious work of tagging every person one by one.

Now, this might lead to concerns about your favourite group chat turning spammy and exploding with constant alerts. Thankfully, WhatsApp has built in some smart rules.

WABetaInfo reports that the power of ‘@all’ is tiered based on your group’s size. In your smaller chats, any member can use the command to get everyone’s attention. But for larger groups, which WhatsApp currently classifies as having over 32 members, only group admins get to wield this power.

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WhatsApp is also giving everyone an escape hatch. A new notification setting is appearing that lets you specifically mute ‘@all’ mentions. You can find this in the group’s info section, right under the notification settings.

This feature was spotted in development for a while, but its arrival in the public beta means a full, stable rollout is likely just around the corner. It is rolling out gradually over the next few weeks, so if you’re on the beta and don’t see it yet, just hang tight.