One of the most recent WhatsApp updates is the ability to create WhatsApp channels. Like many other messaging applications, users can now create channels on WhatsApp and start using this great feature.
Channels on WhatsApp might not be as elaborate as Telegram channels, however, this feature of WhatsApp has been recently added and it has a long way to go and much room for improvements.
What you certainly need to know is that in order to have a WhatsApp channel, you first need to create a WhatsApp group and then convert it to a channel.
Here is all you need to know about the features of channels on WhatsApp along with the full guide on how you can create them.
Create WhatsApp channels
As I mentioned before, there is no separate option on whatsApp which allows you to create a WhatsApp channel and what you need to do is to create a WhatsApp group first. In other words, WhatsApp offers channels as a different type of groups in which only the admins are allowed to send messages and members can only read them. So, considering the fact that channels are a subcategory of groups on WhatsApp, you first need to create a group on WhatsApp if you want to have a WhatsApp channel.
It is pretty simple to create a group on WhatsApp. Here are the steps you need to take:
- Run WhatsApp application on your phone.
- In the main interface you notice that there is a new conversation button, click on it and then select New group.
- Complete the process to create WhatsApp group and add members from your contacts list
Now that you have successfully created a WhatsApp group, it is now time to change it to a channel.
Change WhatsApp group to channel
the steps to create WhatsApp channels from WhatsApp groups are as simple as creating WhatsApp groups. Here are all the steps you need to take:
- Create a WhatsApp group and add all the members you want
- Open Group settings
- Choose Send Messages option and put it on Only Admins.
By taking these three simple steps, you can easily change your WhatsApp group to a WhatsApp channel. This way, only the group admins will be able to send messages in the group. however, WhatsApp channels are not without their problems. So if you want to create a WhatsApp channel, you may first need to take look at some of the problems that I mention below.
WhatsApp channel issues
One of the biggest issues of WhatsApp channels is that the phone numbers are viewable for all the members. As WhatsApp knows channels as a one-way group, it treats channels as groups and that is why the phone number of members is viewable for everyone.
On WhatsApp channels, you can view the profile of the members, view their phone number or message them. This can be considered a bug security issue especially if there are a lot of members in that particular channel. No one likes the fact that their personal information be accessible by others.
Another issue with channels on WhatsApp is that there are no settings menu of any sort for channels. Unlike Telegram channels which allow admins to change the settings and customize their channel, there is no setting option for channels on whatsApp.
However, we can look forward to WhatsApp new updates in which these issues are fixed. WhatsApp is definitely a great messaging application which is always evolving. The channel feature on WhatsApp is also no exception and new features will be added to it in the future.
