Want to send the same message to many people simultaneously? Forget the email or SMS. WhatsApp, Meta’s instant messenger, offers the most practical solution with the mailing list.
WhatsApp allows you to send a message to a specific person or to several at the same time thanks to the discussion groups which can accommodate more than 250 participants. A practical function when it comes to organizing an event to celebrate a birthday, prepare for an outing or chat with members of his family or several parents of students for example. Creating a group therefore implies bringing together in the same space all the people concerned, even if they do not necessarily know each other. Each then receives everyone’s answers at the same time as the others. As practical as it is, this function is not suitable for all situations. Also, to send the same message to several people in your address book without creating yet another discussion group and that does not turn into cacophony, WhatsApp has another function: mailing lists. This option, which is also found in some email software, is much more suitable for sending messages for which each recipient can imagine that he is the only one affected by the missive. A very practical aspect at the beginning of the year for example, when it comes to sending greetings – not personalized – to numerous contacts. Each can respond to you individually without the other recipients of the mailing list being informed.
Creating a mailing list in WhatsApp is easy on both Android and iOS. Unfortunately, it cannot be used with applications for Windows or macOS or with the WhatsApp Web service on a computer.
With the Android version of WhatsApp, the mailing lists are hidden in the settings.
► Launch WhatsApp then, from the discussion panel, tap the three vertical points, placed at the top right of the interface. In the menu that opens, choose New broadcast.
► Your list of contacts saved in WhatsApp is displayed. Select those to whom you want to send the same message by tapping on their names. Once you have made your selection, press the green tick at the bottom left of the screen.
► Now write your message as you normally would. You can of course add an image, an animated GIF, a video, etc. When you are ready press the send button. Each of your correspondents will receive your letter without the others knowing it.
With the iOS version of WhatsApp, mailing lists are better featured and immediately accessible from the chat pane.
► Open WhatsApp on your iOS device and go to the chat list. Then press the link Mailing lists, placed at the top of the list, below the search field.
► In the page that appears, press the link New list at the bottom of the screen.
► Your list of contacts saved in WhatsApp is displayed. Select those to whom you want to send the same message by pressing the radio button to the right of their names. Once you have made your selection, click on the link To create, at the top right of the screen.
► Now write your message as you normally would. You can of course add an image, an animated GIF, a video, etc. When you are ready press the send button. Each of your correspondents will receive your letter without the others knowing it.
