WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging platforms in the world, with over 2 billion active users. A key feature of WhatsApp is the ability to create groups where people can communicate and share information. These WhatsApp groups are also referred to as WhatsApp communities. But can anyone join these WhatsApp communities or are there restrictions on who can participate?
What are WhatsApp Communities?
WhatsApp communities are groups created on the WhatsApp messaging platform that allow people to come together and chat, share files, make calls and more. Some key things to know about WhatsApp communities:
- They are groups of up to 256 members
- Members can share messages, photos, videos and other files
- The groups are admin managed – admins control membership
- Communities can have multiple sub-groups within them
- Useful for groups of coworkers, families, clubs, classes and more
WhatsApp communities provide a way for people with shared interests or affiliations to easily communicate in a private and convenient way. The fact that WhatsApp is end-to-end encrypted adds an extra level of security and privacy.
Joining Open Communities
For WhatsApp communities that are open to new members, joining is straightforward. Typically you would need to get a invite link or QR code from an existing member or the community admin. Using this invite link you can directly join the community on WhatsApp.
Some communities have open membership where anyone can join simply by clicking the “Join” button on the community description within WhatsApp. The community admin has the ability to restrict membership if they want.
Here are some tips for joining open WhatsApp communities:
- Get invite links from existing members or group admins
- Search for and join open groups via links shared publicly
- Scan QR codes to join groups if displayed publicly
- Look for WhatsApp group links shared on social media platforms like Facebook
- Check forums, listings sites and chat rooms related to your interests
Using these methods you can easily join a variety of open WhatsApp communities related to topics like sports, tech, location-based groups, hobbies, professional networks and more. Always vet any public group carefully before joining.
Joining Closed Communities
While open communities allow anyone to join, closed WhatsApp communities have restrictions in place for membership. This allows the admins to carefully control who is part of the group. Some common reasons communities may be closed include:
- Wanting a private space for family, close friends or coworkers only
- Screening members to keep out spam/abuse
- Limiting group size due to admin constraints
- Charging a fee or requiring paid membership
To join a closed community, you typically need either:
- A direct invite from the admin or an existing member
- Approval from the admin after requesting to join
The community should provide instructions on how to request membership. This may involve filling out a registration form, answering screening questions or paying a membership fee.
Tips for Joining Closed Communities
- Ask friends if they are part of any closed groups you are interested in
- Reach out to the admin directly explaining why you would like to join
- Check the community description for instructions on how to join
- Answer screening questions thoroughly and honestly
- Pay membership dues if required before asking to join
- If declined, politely ask if you can reapply later
While joining closed communities takes more effort, it can provide access to more private, vetted and engaging discussion groups.
Who Can’t Join WhatsApp Communities?
There are a few cases where people may not be able to join WhatsApp communities:
- Banned WhatsApp users – If your WhatsApp account has been banned, usually due to violations of terms of service, you will be unable to use WhatsApp or join any groups.
- Unsupported devices – WhatsApp may limit or cease support for very old smartphone models. You need a supported device to use WhatsApp and its communities feature.
- Unsupported countries – In rare cases, WhatsApp may block service in certain countries. Users in these areas would be unable to access communities.
- Age limits – WhatsApp requires users be at least 16 years old. In some countries the minimum age may be higher.
- Group size limits – Communities max out at 256 members. If a group is at capacity you cannot join until space opens up.
In most cases though, joining WhatsApp communities is open to anyone with a valid WhatsApp account and invitation to join the group.
Managing Community Membership
As a WhatsApp community admin, you have tools to manage membership of your groups:
- Join approvals – Admins can require approval for new members instead of open links. This allows vetting users.
- Invites – Admins can selectively invite specific users to join a community.
- Bans – Admins can ban problematic members, preventing them from rejoining.
- Link management – Admins can regenerate join links to prevent expired links from granting access.
Admins also have options like muted users, temporary message deletions, member list exports and other tools to moderate communities.
Using invite links, QR codes and group management settings, community admins can restrict joining to control growth and quality of their WhatsApp groups.
Key Takeaways
- Open WhatsApp communities allow anyone to join via an invite link or joining as a member.
- Closed communities require approval from admins or existing members to join.
- Banned users, unsupported devices/countries, age limits and group size caps may prevent some from joining.
- Community admins have management tools like approvals, invites and bans to control memberships.
- Joining public communities is open to any WhatsApp user, but private groups require vetting.
Conclusion
WhatsApp communities provide a versatile platform for group communication. The ability to make both open and closed groups lets you tailor the membership and privacy levels as needed. Careful use of invite links, screening and member management tools allow creating public or private communities accessible to a wide or limited audience. Virtually anyone can join open groups, while closed communities enable more exclusivity.