WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the key features of WhatsApp is the ability to create groups where you can communicate with multiple people at once. WhatsApp groups are useful for families, friends, work teams, and interest communities who want to stay in touch in a group conversation. If you want to join existing WhatsApp groups or create your own, here are some tips on how to find and manage WhatsApp groups.
Search for WhatsApp group invite links
One easy way to find new WhatsApp groups is to search for WhatsApp group invite links online. Many WhatsApp group admins publicly share invite links to their groups on websites, social media, forums, and messaging boards. You can search on Google, Facebook groups, Reddit, Quora, and other sites to find links to join groups based on your interests and location. For example, search “London hiking WhatsApp group” or “machine learning WhatsApp group invite” to find specialized communities. Make sure the groups are relevant and active before joining to ensure a good experience.
Ask friends and contacts
Ask your friends, family, colleagues, and other contacts if they have any WhatsApp group suggestions or invites. People who share your interests such as sports teams, gaming, arts, or specific professions likely have relevant WhatsApp groups that they can add you to. Your contacts in certain regions or organizations may have local group chats that you can join. Let people know you’re looking for WhatsApp groups to meet new people, share interests, and stay in touch.
Check WhatsApp group discovery websites
There are third-party websites and apps designed to help you discover WhatsApp groups based on criteria you specify. These sites aggregate WhatsApp group information from around the web to provide searchable databases of active groups looking for new members. Look for category tags like location, language, profession, hobbies, and beliefs to browse groups. Check member count and activity before requesting to join.
Search social media
Many public WhatsApp groups post invitations on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others. Search social media for relevant hashtags, keywords, and group names to find invites. For example, search a city name + “WhatsApp group” or interest + “WhatsApp community” to find active groups. Make sure to vet any public groups to ensure they are legitimate, active, and related to your interests.
Ask WhatsApp contacts for invites
Check with existing contacts and friends on WhatsApp to see if they’re members of any interesting groups they can add you to. Your connections likely belong to various WhatsApp communities for work, fun, or specific interests. Reach out to your contacts, explain you’re looking for active WhatsApp groups, and ask if they can send you an invite link to any relevant chats. This allows you to join established groups.
Create your own group
If you can’t find a WhatsApp group relevant to your interests, start your own. WhatsApp allows you to create groups with up to 256 members. Name and describe your group, decide if it will be public or private, and start adding relevant contacts as members. Let your friends know you started a group chat and invite them to join. As an admin, you can share the invite link to grow your WhatsApp community.
How to use WhatsApp group invite links
Once you’ve found WhatsApp groups you want to join, you’ll need to know how to use their invite links to become a member:
Click the invite link
WhatsApp group invite links are formatted like below:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/ABCD1234
Simply click or tap on this link on your device. It will open the WhatsApp app and take you directly to the group chat.
Join the group
When prompted, tap “Join” to be added to the WhatsApp group. If the group is private and requires admin approval, your request will be pending until approved.
Verify the group
Make sure to verify the group name, members, and description to ensure you joined the correct WhatsApp community. Introduce yourself once you’ve joined.
Save to your groups
To keep the group easily accessible, tap and hold the group name in your WhatsApp chats list and select “Pin”. This pins the group to the top of your list.
Now you can start participating in the WhatsApp group chat! Always follow the rules and be respectful to other members.
How to find WhatsApp groups on Android
Here are some tips to find WhatsApp groups easily using your Android device:
Search Google Play store
The Google Play store has apps dedicated to help you find WhatsApp group links. Search for “WhatsApp group links” and download a discovery app with good reviews. Open the app and browse or search relevant groups.
Join via invite links
Use Chrome or another browser on your Android device to search for invites to join WhatsApp groups you’re interested in. When you find a group link, tap to open it in WhatsApp and join the group.
Search Facebook groups
The Facebook app on Android makes it easy to search for and join interest-based Facebook groups. Look for ones with WhatsApp group links posted. Join via the link on WhatsApp.
Discover using Google Search
Use Google Search or the Google app on your Android. Try searching “[your city or interest] WhatsApp group link” to find publicly shared group invites. Join any appealing groups you find via the link.
Ask contacts for group invites
Message your Android contacts to ask if they have any WhatsApp group suggestions and can send you an invite link. This works if you see they are in interesting groups from their WhatsApp profile photo.
Finding WhatsApp groups on iPhone
WhatsApp is a popular messaging app on iPhones. Here are some ways to find WhatsApp groups using your iPhone:
Search social media
Use the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, or other social media apps on your iPhone to search for WhatsApp group invites. Look for relevant hashtags, keywords, and group names to discover open groups.
Check WhatsApp community websites
Visit WhatsApp group directories like WhatsGroupLink and WhatsGroup on your iPhone’s browser. Browse their databases of WhatsApp group links to find and join interesting groups.
Ask Siri suggestions
You can ask Siri for help finding WhatsApp groups. Say “Siri, help me find [interest] WhatsApp groups” and Siri will show web results with invite links.
Look for links on forums
For niche interests, visit forums on your iPhone’s browser and search for people sharing WhatsApp group invites. Gaming, tech, music, and hobby forums often have members posting group links.
Leverage your contacts
Messaging iPhone contacts who share interests with you is a great way to discover new WhatsApp groups. Ask your contacts if they have any groups they can add you to.
Tips for joining WhatsApp groups
Here are some additional tips for safely and effectively joining new WhatsApp groups:
Vet the group first
Review a WhatsApp group’s name, description, posts, and members to ensure it’s active, legitimate, and relevant before joining. This avoids wasting time on inactive or irrelevant groups.
Leave if unhappy
If a WhatsApp group isn’t what you expected or hoped for, you can always leave. Tap and hold the group, then choose Exit Group.
Silence notifications
If a group is too active, you can mute notifications so you’re not constantly notified of new messages. Tap and hold the group, then select Mute Notifications.
Save useful groups
Pin important WhatsApp groups to the top of your chats list so they are easily accessible. Tap and hold the group and choose Pin to Top.
Add useful contacts
If you meet helpful group members, add them to your contacts for future one-on-one chats by tapping their profile and choosing Add to Contacts.
Creating your own WhatsApp group
Don’t just join existing WhatsApp groups – create your own! Here are tips for starting and building your own WhatsApp community:
Choose a purpose
First decide the purpose of your WhatsApp group. It can be for family, friends, work, a hobby, interest, cause, neighborhood, gaming clan, or any community.
Name your group
Pick a clear, descriptive name for your WhatsApp group that communicates its purpose. Include keywords relevant to your members.
Add initial members
Start your WhatsApp group off right by inviting engaged initial members from your contacts who will actively participate.
Establish guidelines
Set clear rules of respect, posting frequency, language, and content right away so members know how to interact appropriately in the group.
Share invite link
Tap the WhatsApp group name, then Invite Link, then Share Link to generate a join link you can post on social media, websites, and send directly to grow your group.
Engage members
Welcome new members, start discussions, share relevant content, and ask questions to keep your WhatsApp community engaging for everyone.
Make admins
Assign trusted members as admins to help manage and moderate your WhatsApp group as it grows by tapping Group Info > Add Admin.
WhatsApp group rules and etiquette
To ensure you have the best experience in any WhatsApp group, follow proper etiquette:
Read pinned rules
Check for any pinned rules or descriptions in the WhatsApp group info or from the admin and follow them. This keeps the chat productive.
Introduce yourself
When joining a new WhatsApp group, introduce yourself so members know who you are and can welcome you properly.
Stay on topic
Keep conversations relevant to the group’s purpose and don’t spam unrelated content which other members may find disruptive.
Respect other members
Interact politely as you would in any community. Don’t pick fights, insult, or confront other members.
Moderate message frequency
Avoid flooding the group with too many messages at once. Allow other members time to respond before posting again.
Ask admin before sharing invites
Get admin approval before sharing invites to other groups. Keep invites relevant to the group’s interests.
Inform if leaving
If you want to exit the WhatsApp group, let members know instead of abandoning silently.
Don’t spread misinformation
Make sure to fact-check information before sharing articles or news to avoid spreading fake news in the group.
Follow local laws
Do not share illegal or pirated materials in WhatsApp groups. Follow all relevant laws in your region.
WhatsApp group management tips
If you create a WhatsApp group or become an admin, use these tips to manage effectively:
Have co-admins
Assign trusted members as admins to delegate group moderation and help manage growth. Tap Group Info > Add Admin.
Welcome new members
Greet new members as they join so they feel included and know their presence is noticed and appreciated.
Remove disruptive members
If certain members continuously violate rules or cause issues, remove them from the group. Tap Group Info > Remove Member.
Ban frequently
To avoid spam, consider banning sharing of invites to other groups or channels without admin review and approval.
Enable approval for new members
If your group is growing exponentially, require admin approval for new members so you can vet join requests. Enable this under Group Settings > Approval.
Turn on chat history
If members need to reference past discussions, enable chat history under Group Settings so previous chats are accessible.
Create announcements
Use the announcements tool if you need to share important, pinned information all members need to see when joining.
Moderate actively
Proactively remove spam, delete disruptive messages, ban members violating rules, and reply to all queries to keep the group productive.
Own backup
To avoid losing group history if you leave, make yourself group admin and back up chats to your Google Drive or iCloud.
WhatsApp group ideas
Here are examples of engaging WhatsApp group ideas to create for different audiences:
Family groups
– Extended family chat
– Cousins group
– Grandkids group for grandparents
– New baby arrival group
Friend groups
– College friends chat
– Travel buddies group
– Gaming clan
– Book club
– Fitness group
Work groups
– Team chat
– Company announcements
– Department/division chat
– New employee onboarding
– Remote work chat
Interest groups
– Coding/development chat
– Yoga enthusiasts
– Investing club
– Pet owners club
– New parents support
Neighborhood groups
– Apartment complex updates
– Safety watch group
– Local business spotlight
– Ride sharing
– Babysitting co-op
Topical groups
– Social cause advocacy
– Hobby focused like photography
– Medical support groups
– Political discussions
– Religious readings chat
WhatsApp group usage statistics
| WhatsApp users worldwide | Over 2 billion |
| Daily WhatsApp video calls | Over 8 billion minutes |
| Photos shared daily | 4.5 billion |
| WhatsApp groups | 10 million+ created daily |
| Max group size | 256 members |
| Groups with max members | 1 million+ |
WhatsApp groups have become extremely popular for both business and personal use with over 65 billion messages sent via groups daily. Most WhatsApp users are in multiple group chats. WhatsApp is continuing to add new features like communities and larger file sharing to improve groups. Finding and joining engaging WhatsApp groups lets you connect with more people across the globe right from your smartphone.
Conclusion
WhatsApp groups provide a convenient way to communicate with multiple people at once on topics that interest you. Finding active groups relevant to your needs takes just a bit of searching online, on social media, and asking your contacts to connect you. Make sure to read the rules, introduce yourself, and engage politely when joining new WhatsApp communities. If you have a specific purpose, starting your own WhatsApp group and sharing the invite link can help build an audience. Proper etiquette and active moderation are key to ensuring WhatsApp groups remain useful, friendly, and productive over time. WhatsApp groups enable you to surround yourself with like-minded people, share ideas, get help, and explore interests together through messaging.