6 May 2022

3 Ways To Increase The WhatsApp Group Member Limit

The WhatsApp group member limit can be a nuisance. If you’re looking for ways to increase the limit, you’ve come to the right place!

Benard Kiplangat

Content Writer

Reading time: 5 minutes

WhatsApp has become one of the world’s fastest-growing chat platforms with over 100 nations using it as their preferred messaging app.

As the most popular communication software, various new features have been added from time to time like the WhatsApp Group feature. By default, as of the latest update, the maximum number of participants you can add to a WhatsApp Group is 256.

However, this limitation can prove to be a hindrance, especially if you’re using WhatsApp for marketing purposes.

In this article, we share some ways to help you increase the 256-member limit so you can do more with WhatsApp!

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Why is there a 256-member limit?

The exact reason for the user’s restriction in WhatsApp Group is uncertain, but here are some reasons why:

Priority basis selection

Preventing spam

Limiting storage

Internal issues

How can I increase the WhatsApp group limit?

Despite all that we mentioned above, is it then possible to increase the limit from the set limit of 256?

The answer is: Yes! You can comfortably increase the limit and here we share 3 ways how you can do it.

1. Share the group invite link

The 256-member restriction is only in effect when manually adding people to your group. When you select the ‘New Group’ option and WhatsApp prompts you to add members to your group, you can only add up to 256 people.

However, this restriction does not apply when members join your group independently, such as by clicking the group invite link.

Follow the simple steps given below:

Open your WhatsApp group and tap on the three dots in the top right corner.
On the top of the list, tap on the ‘Group Info’ option.
Move to the participants’ section and tap on the ‘Invite via the link’ option under the ‘Add Participants’ button.
Share the link with your friends, relatives, and other social media groups.

When someone taps on this link, they can join the group even if the limit has been exceeded. This method will allow you to add up to 3,000 people to your WhatsApp group.

2. Install WhatsApp Plus mod

Using this method, you do not have to send hundreds of invite links to your recipients.

All you need to do is download the Android Package Kit (APK) version of this app on your Android or iOS device. Then, create a group on WhatsApp Plus and invite people to the group.

What is APK, and how do you install it on your Android?

An APK is a package file format used by the Android operating system for distributing and installing mobile apps. The same way Windows (PC) systems use a .exe file for installing software, that is how android systems use APK for the same.

Most Android phones use the Google Play Store for downloading apps, but if your device does not have it, downloading the APK remains the most viable option.

How do you install an APK file on your android phone?

Download the APK you want to install.
Go to the phone settings menu, then to the security settings, and enable the installation from the ‘Unknown Sources’ option.
Use a file browser and move to your download folder.
Then open the file to install.

The app will install safely, but if it fails, you get an error message.

3. Using ES-Explorer

If you want to add up to 10,000 members to a WhatsApp group, ES-Explore will be your best bet.

However, do note that this only works for Android devices and you would need to root your device. Be careful when rooting your device as one wrong move can damage your device’s software and leave your device open to all sorts of malware.

After you’ve rooted your device, follow these steps:

Click on the three dots in the top right corner and then click on the ‘Device’ option under the ‘Local’ tab.
Then, search for the ‘Data’ folder and tap on it to access the folder.
Search for the subfolder named ‘com.whatsapp’. Click on it and find another folder within it called ‘shared_prefs’.
Once you open that folder, search for the file named ‘com.whatsapp_prefer’.
Select the file, click on ‘More’ option, and then select the ‘Properties’ option.
Change and enable the permissions and hit ‘Save’.
Now, open the file in a HTML editor. Find the line ‘participants_size_limit’ and change its value to 9999. This increases the WhatsApp group limit.
Make sure to save your changes in the HTML file and you’re done!

How to promote WhatsApp group to increase group size

Create and share quality content

Ensure that whatever content you are communicating with the group is of high quality.

After all, you wouldn’t be interested in joining a group, let alone remaining in one, if the messages are all spam or provide no value to you. The same can be said about your recipients.

That said, keep your messages short and clear. Choose your words wisely and ensure that you connect with your audience.

Focus more on how you can provide added benefits to your members, such as sharing useful content and other valuable resources.

Share discounts and offers

Offer customer service on WhatsApp

Giving customers immediate service is considered a luxury for small businesses, especially for leisure activities. However, WhatsApp helps your business to address customers’ queries quickly.

Aside from using WhatsApp to market your business, you can also use the platform for customer support.

Because you can send text, audio, videos, and GIFs, you can provide personalized yet instant customer support on the platform. This allows you to address your customers’ queries quickly and increases customer satisfaction.

Do more with WhatsApp

So as you’ve seen, increasing the WhatsApp group member limit is possible, but it definitely takes some effort on your part. Do also take precautions, especially if you have to root your device or download external mods.

Using WhatsApp for business can definitely take your business to greater heights as you can reach your customers easily and more personally.

If you’re looking for more ways to engage your customers, explore the NovoChat platform! With NovoChat’s WhatsApp automation feature, you can send abandoned cart recovery reminders, order confirmations, and shipping updates.

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