WhatsApp is working on 32-person voice chats

WhatsApp’s latest beta has a new voice chat feature that lets groups of up to 32 people connect for a spoken session, according to beta notes published by WABetaInfo. WhatsApp beta version 2.23.16.19 is rolling out to testers on Android, adding features similar to Telegram and Discord chats, Slack’s Huddles, and even Meta’s own Messenger platform.

If it’s live in your version of the app, you’ll notice a waveform icon within group chats — but only if the WhatsApp account has the feature enabled and includes compatibility with the group. Tapping the button immediately launches voice chat, along with its own interface. Then, anyone in the group, up to 32 people, can just jump in and start talking. Unlike the existing group calls feature, group voice chats will not make everyone’s phone ring.

When everyone leaves, the session remains active but will automatically end after an hour. Voice chats in WhatsApp are, like its other messages, end-to-end encrypted by default.

The new WhatsApp voice chat feature may show up on non-beta installations as well since WABetaInfo notes it’s a broader release. While Meta isn’t early to the party with this feature — Telegram has had voice chat features since 2020 — WhatsApp has the benefit of being one of the most widely used chat apps in the world, with over 2 billion users.