How to Use Communities on WhatsApp

If you have ever found yourself lost in the endless scroll of a chaotic group chat, struggling to find important information, WhatsApp communities is the feature you have been waiting for. It is the platform's powerful solution for organizing large groups and streamlining communication. This guide will walk you through how to use communities on WhatsApp, from creating your first community to mastering its advanced features.

Whether you are managing a school group, a neighborhood watch, or a company-wide directory, understanding how to use WhatsApp communities will transform how you connect with people.

Part 1. What is a WhatsApp Community?

Before diving into the "how-to," it is essential to grasp the concept. A WhatsApp community isn't just another group chat; it is a tool for organizing multiple related groups under a single, unified structure.

• The Core Concept: An Umbrella for Your Groups

Think of a community as a large umbrella or a digital bulletin board. Under this umbrella, you can house several smaller, topic-specific group chats. For example, a single "Neighborhood Community" could contain separate groups for "Local Events," "Safety Alerts," and "Yard Sale Listing." The main benefit is that it brings structure and order to what could otherwise be a messy, single conversation.

• Critical Differences: Community vs. Group vs. Broadcast List

Understanding the distinction between these three features is the key to using WhatsApp effectively.

• WhatsApp Group: This is a standard, multi-directional chat where all members can send messages and interact with each other. It deals for discussions and collaborative conversations.
• WhatsApp Community: This is a container for multiple groups. Its defining feature is a one-way Announcement group, where only admins can post updates to all community members. This ensures vital information is never missed.
• Broadcast List: This is a tool for sending a single message to many people at once, but it delivers the message to each person's private chat with you. Recipients cannot see who else received the message, and they cannot interact with each other.

Part 2. How to Create a WhatsApp Community

Creating a community is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to get started on either Android or iOS.

Step 1. Open WhatsApp and navigate to the Communities tab. On iOS, this is at the bottom of the screen; On Android, it is at the top. Tap on Start your community to begin the setup process.

Step 2. You will be prompted to give your community a name, a description, and a profile picture. After setting up the basics, you have two options:

• Create new group: You can create brand-new groups from scratch that will live inside your community.
• Add Existing Groups: You can add any existing groups for which you are already an admin. This is perfect for organizing groups you already manage. You can add up to 50 groups to a single community.

Step 3. Once your community is created, you can add members by sharing the community invite link. Anyone with this link can join the community, see the groups within it, and request to join the ones that are relevant to them. You can also add members directly from your contacts.

Part 3. How to Manage Your Community

Once your community is created, you have several tools to help you run it effectively.

3.1 Inviting Members via Link

The easiest way to grow your community is by sharing an invite link. As an admin, you can generate this link and share it through WhatsApp or other apps. Anyone who clicks the link can join the community and see the list of groups within it.

How to invite members via Link

Step 1. Navigate to the Communities tab in WhatsApp, then tap on the community you wish to manage. Once inside, tap the community's name at the very top of the screen to open its settings and information page.
Step 2. On the community info screen, you will see an option labeled "Invite to community via link" or a similar phrase. Tap on this to proceed.
Step 3. WhatsApp will present you with several ways to share the link:

• Send Link via WhatsApp: This lets you directly send the link to your WhatsApp contacts or other groups.
• Share Link: This opens your phone's native sharing menu, allowing you to send the link via SMS, email, Slack, or any other installed application.
• Copy Link: This copies the URL to your clipboard so you can paste it wherever you like, such as on a website or in a social media post.
• QR Code: This generates a unique QR code that people can scan with their phone's camera to join the community instantly. This is great for physical flyers or in-person events.

3.2 Using the Announcement Group for Updates

Every community has a special Announcement group. Only admins can send messages here, which makes it perfect for sharing important updates that you don't want to get lost in conversation. All members of the community are automatically added to this group.

How to use the Announcement group for updates

Step 1. Open your community. Inside, you will see a list of all the groups it contains. The Announcement group will be at the top of this list, often marked with a megaphone icon.
Step 2. Tap on the Announcement group to open it. The interface will look just like a standard WhatsApp chat. You can type your message, add formatting, and attach media like photos, videos, or documents.
Step 3. Once your message is ready, simply press the send button. The update will broadcast to every single member of your community. Members will see the message but will not be able to reply within the Announcement group, keeping it clean and authoritative.

3.3 Adding or Removing Groups Post-Creation

You can always adjust your community's structure after the initial setup. As an admin, you can add more groups or remove existing ones at any time to keep things organized and relevant.

How to add groups post-creation

Step 1. Open your community, tap its name, and select Manage groups.

Step 2. Inside the "Manage groups" screen, you will be given the same two choices you had during the initial setup:

• Create New Group: To start a new group from scratch within the community.

• Add Existing Groups: To link a group you already manage into the community.

Step 3. Follow the on-screen prompts to create or select the group(s) you want to add, then confirm the action. The group will now appear in your community list.

How to remove groups post-creation

Step 1. Open your community and tap its name at the top to access the settings. Scroll down and find the option labeled Manage groups.

Step 2. You will see a list of all groups currently in the community. To remove one, tap the EDIT button in the top-right corner. A red minus icon will appear next to each group name.

Step 3. Tap the red minus icon next to the group you want to remove. WhatsApp will ask you to confirm your decision. Tap Remove to finalize the action.

Part 4. Bonus Tips: How to Transfer Communities Chat on WhatsApp Between iOS Devices

When you buy a new iPhone and want to transfer your WhatsApp chats including Communities from the old iPhone to the new one, TunesKit WhatsApp Transfer can help you do that in one click. It allows uses to transfer, back up, restore, and export WhatsApp data with ease.

Part 5. Conclusion

Using a WhatsApp Community is the most effective way to manage communication across multiple related groups. It provides a clear structure for conversations, ensures important announcements are seen by everyone, and offers better privacy for your members. By following the simple steps above, you can create a more organized and efficient communication hub.

If you want to transfer WhatsApp community chats from an old iPhone to a new one, TunesKit WhatsApp Transfer is recommended, which is easy to use and efficient.