WhatsApp Pinned Messages: Who Sees Them, How Long
To pin a WhatsApp message, tap and hold it, tap Pin (on Android it's under More options) and pick how long it stays. A pinned message sits as a banner at the top of the chat, and you can pin up to four messages per chat.
The help center lists 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days as the durations. On 29 October 2026 WhatsApp's blog announced an option to keep a message pinned forever. Pinning a message is also a different thing from pinning a chat or starring a message, which we untangle further down.
How pinned messages work
A pinned message is displayed as a banner at the top of the chat until it's unpinned or its time runs out. Tap the banner and WhatsApp jumps to the message in the conversation.
| Detail | What WhatsApp says |
|---|---|
| Limit | Up to four pinned messages per chat |
| Duration | 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days in the help center |
| Forever | Added in a 29 October 2026 blog post: pin "forever, if you don't want to choose a time limit up front" |
| Several pins | The banner shows how many are pinned, newest first, and you tap it to see the next |
| Expiry | A pin that isn't removed unpins itself when the set time ends |
The help center page hasn't listed the forever option yet, and the blog doesn't say whether every account has it. If you don't see it in your pin menu, update the app and check again later.
Who sees a pinned message
The pin is a feature of the chat, not of your phone. In a group, a system message goes to everyone in the chat saying a message was pinned and who pinned it. So a pin in a group is public to its members, with your name on it.
In a one-to-one chat, the help center only describes the banner. It doesn't say whether the other person sees your pin, so treat it as visible to them rather than as a private bookmark.
Some members won't see a pin. WhatsApp says people can't see a pinned message if:
- they joined the group after the pinned message was sent,
- they lost or cleared their chat history, or
- they deleted the message before it was pinned.
How to pin a message
- Tap and hold the message.
- On Android, tap More options (three dots) and then Pin. On iPhone, tap Pin.
- Choose how long the pin lasts.
- Confirm. On Android there's a final Pin button.
On WhatsApp Web, hover over the message, click the down arrow menu, then click Pin.
How to unpin
You can unpin at any time. Tap and hold the pinned message, then tap Unpin (on Android, under More options). If you do nothing, it unpins when the duration ends.
Who can pin in a group
Group admins decide. They can allow members to pin messages, and the control sits under Group permissions, in the same switch that lets members edit group settings.
- Open the group chat and tap the group name.
- Tap Group permissions.
- Turn Edit group settings on or off.
WhatsApp's page names this one switch for member pinning. The same switch also governs whether members can change the group name, icon and description. If a group has more than 256 members, WhatsApp says Edit group settings defaults to Only admins. More on this screen in only admins can send messages.
Pin a message vs pin a chat vs star a message
These get mixed up because all three keep something within reach.
- Pin a message: puts one message in a banner at the top of that chat. In a group, everyone gets a note saying who pinned it.
- Pin a chat: moves a whole chat to the top of your own chat list. WhatsApp allows up to three pinned chats. It changes your list, not the conversation.
- Star a message: a private bookmark for you. See starred messages.
Pinning a chat also asks how long the pin should last. WhatsApp's page mentions that choice but doesn't list the options.
Pins for business groups
A group for customers or partners is where a pin earns its place. Pin the delivery schedule, the opening hours or the group rules so a new person doesn't have to scroll. Two cautions follow from the rules above. People who join after the pin was sent can't see it. When you add someone, or after they join by link, WhatsApp lets you send them message history, and that can include all pinned messages. And four slots is a small space, so keep the pin for what really must be seen. Written ground rules are covered in WhatsApp group rules, and what newcomers can see of earlier messages is in can new members see old messages.
Where Tenashi fits
A pin helps the people inside one chat. It does nothing for the agent answering a different customer who asks the same question, and if your order terms live only as a pin in one group, a new agent may never find them.
Tenashi doesn't show or manage WhatsApp pins. What it gives a team is somewhere else to keep the same information: internal notes and canned replies for the wording you send often, and a knowledge base for the longer policy, all visible to everyone working the number. That covers chats on your own connected business number, from the day you connect it. More on the set-up is in our guide to WhatsApp for business.
Plans start at $18/mo. Get started.
FAQ
How many messages can you pin on WhatsApp?
You can pin up to four messages in a chat. The banner shows how many are pinned, with the most recent first. You can also pin up to three whole chats to the top of your chat list, which is a separate feature from pinning messages.
Can everyone see a pinned message on WhatsApp?
In a group, yes: a system message tells everyone a message was pinned and who pinned it. People who joined after the message was sent, or cleared their chat history, can't see the pinned message. For one-to-one chats, WhatsApp's help page doesn't say what the other person sees.
Can you pin a WhatsApp message forever?
WhatsApp's blog post of 29 October 2026 says you can now keep important messages pinned forever instead of picking a time limit. The help center still lists 24 hours, 7 days and 30 days, so the option may not have reached your app yet.
Who can pin a message in a WhatsApp group?
Group admins can allow members to pin: tap the group name, then Group permissions, then turn on Edit group settings. When a member or admin pins, everyone in the chat sees a note saying who pinned the message.
How do I unpin a message on WhatsApp?
Tap and hold the pinned message, then tap Unpin (on Android, open More options first). You can unpin at any time. A pin that you leave in place unpins itself when its set duration ends.
A pin keeps one message in view inside one chat. If your team needs the same answer findable in every chat, get started with Tenashi.