At the beginning of WhatsApp chats, in the chat list and in channels, you may sometimes see a new symbol in the shape of a pin. We’ll tell you what it’s all about.
WhatsApp now sometimes shows a pin in some chats. (Source: WhatsApp, cobalt88/depositphotos.com; Montage: Netzwelt)
- WhatsApp now allows you to save up to 3 messages in chats. A pin symbol at the beginning of the chat then takes everyone in the group directly to the respective message.
- WhatsApp also offers a similar function for popular contacts. Soon you should also be able to pin channels.
- When making phone calls, WhatsApp relies on a heart instead of a pin. The heart could also replace the pin in other areas.
The WhatsApp messenger is constantly being expanded to include new functions. Some of these ensure that new symbols appear in the chat. For example, in some chats you will now see a pin at the top. You can sometimes also see these in the “Chats” and “News” tabs. What’s it all about?
The symbol is associated with the “Fix Messages” feature, which Messenger began rolling out to Android phones in December 2023. It is now also available on the iPhone. You can use it to pin important messages to the top of the chat for a specific period of time. You can choose between 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days.
Direct link to important news
Initially it was only possible to pin one message in a chat, but since March 2024 you can pin and share up to 3 messages in one chat WhatsApp via X (formerly Twitter) with. The function is particularly interesting for group chats. For example, if you have arranged to meet in the chat, you can fix the message containing the meeting point and time in the chat so that everyone can quickly find it again. All you need to do is press the pin and you will jump to the fixed message in the chat. If you have several pinned messages, each time you press the pin you jump to one message.
However, the function has a weak point. If you later add a contact to a group and pin a message that you wrote before the person joined, our research shows that it will not be displayed to them. As an alternative, we therefore recommend always using the group description for important information.
To fix a message on WhatsApp, you just have to mark it in the chat and then, on Android devices, click on the three dots in the top right corner and select fix. On the iPhone, however, you choose the “Fix” option from the context menu that appears when you hold down the message. Then set the time period and confirm it by pressing the “Fix” button. If you fix several messages, you can also set different time periods for each one.
Differences from the star
WhatsApp has been offering a similar function with the star symbol for a long time. You can use this to bookmark chats. While these are only available to you personally, messages with the pin are accessible to all contacts in the chat. There are also other differences between a pin and a star.
Not only can you pin messages in chats, chats that you use frequently can also be pinned to the top of the chat list for a long time. This is also symbolized by a pin.
Abbreviations in the quiz: What do MILF, IDK and Co mean?
What does “MILF” mean?
It should soon be possible to fix frequently used channels using the pin. They will then be displayed in the “News” tab at the top of the channel list. However, this function is still under development. It was spotted by fan blog WABetaInfo in February in beta version 2.24.4.3 of the messenger for Android phones.
According to WABetaInfo, in April it also appeared in the beta version 24.8.10.75 of the messenger for the iPhone. This suggests that the launch of the function is not too far away. You will probably be able to pin 3 channels initially, and later possibly 5 channels in the “Current” tab.
Does the heart replace the pin?
You should also soon be able to pin favorite contacts in the “Calls” tab. However, WhatsApp does not use the pin as a symbol, but rather a heart. In the long term, it could replace the pin in various areas of the app.
As the first screenshots show, you should be able to manage your favorites across WhatsApp via the heart – not just in the call tab, but also in the chat list. The pin may then disappear here and only remain as a symbol within a chat.
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