TikTok adds group chat option for mobile users in newest update

TikTok continues to expand its influence on mobile users by adding a group chat option that supports up to 32 participants, the company recently announced.

This feature is available to users aged 16 and older, enabling them to share content with friends and family without needing a separate messaging app. The platform also now offers users the ability to create personalized stickers.

Similar to other messaging apps, TikTok’s group chat feature allows participants to engage in real-time conversations, share videos, and comment on them together. However, this feature is not available to users under 16.

Starting a group chat is simple: users can go to their inbox, tap on "Chat," select the friends they want to include, and click "Start Group Chat." However, you can only join a group chat if you receive an invitation from someone you mutually follow. Additionally, if you have not enabled messaging from others on the platform, you won’t receive any chat invitations.

For teens under 18, the rules are slightly different. They can only join a group chat if it includes at least one person who follows them back. Teens who create a group chat must also manually review and approve new participants.

Personalized messaging

Although TikTok disabled direct messages (DMs) for users under 16 back in 2020, it later allowed users over 16 to receive messages from anyone. Alongside the new group chat feature, TikTok now also offers users aged 18 and above the ability to create and upload custom stickers to the platform.

The introduction of this new feature is part of TikTok’s strategy to "capture" its users and keep them from switching to other messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Messenger to share TikTok videos they discover.