How to create and use a WhatsApp group for your family

What you will learn

In this guide, you will learn how to create a WhatsApp group for your family or friends. A group lets everyone share messages, photos, and videos in one conversation instead of sending them individually to each person. It is perfect for planning family events, sharing photos of the grandchildren, or just staying in touch.

What you need

• A phone with WhatsApp installed and set up
• The phone numbers of the family members you want to add (they must also have WhatsApp)

The steps

Step 1: Open WhatsApp

Tap the WhatsApp icon on your phone to open it. It is a green icon with a white telephone inside a speech bubble.

Step 2: Start creating a new group

On iPhone, tap Chats at the bottom, then tap New Group at the top of the screen. On Android, tap the green circle with a message icon in the bottom right corner, then tap New Group.

Step 3: Add family members to the group

You will see a list of your contacts who use WhatsApp. Tap the name of each family member you want to add. A small circle with their photo will appear at the top as you select them. When you have added everyone, tap the green arrow or Next in the top right corner.

Step 4: Choose a group name and photo

Type a name for your group, such as “Family” or “Smith Family”. You can also tap the camera icon to add a group photo, like a family picture. This makes the group easy to recognise in your chat list. Tap Create or the green checkmark when you are ready.

Step 5: Send your first message

Your group is now created. Type a welcome message in the text box at the bottom, such as “Hello everyone, this is our family group!” and tap the send button (the arrow icon). Everyone in the group will receive your message.

Step 6: Share a photo in the group

To share a photo, tap the plus icon (iPhone) or the paperclip icon (Android) next to the text box. Choose Photo & Video Library or Gallery. Select the photo you want to share and tap Send. Everyone in the group will see the photo.

Step 7: Make someone else an admin

If you want another family member to help manage the group (for example, to add new members), you can make them an admin. Tap the group name at the top of the chat, find their name in the member list, tap their name, and choose Make Group Admin.

Tips

• Give the group a clear name so everyone knows what it is for.
• If the group gets too many messages, you can mute notifications without leaving the group.
• To remove someone from the group, tap the group name, find the person, tap their name, and choose Remove from Group. Only group admins can do this.
• Photos shared in the group are saved automatically to everyone’s phone. To change this, go to the group settings and turn off Save to Camera Roll or Media Visibility.

External links

• WhatsApp Help Centre: How to create a group — official WhatsApp guide
• WhatsApp Help Centre: Group settings — manage group privacy and permissions