Group join requests let admins control who enters a group via an invite link or QR code. When enabled, users who tap a group link or scan a QR code must send a join request, which admins can approve or decline before the user is added. This helps keep your group secure and free from unwanted participants.
Prerequisites
How Group Join Requests Work
Group join requests is an optional setting available in Group settings. It is turned off by default, meaning anyone with the invite link or QR code can join the group without prior approval.
When turned on:
Users who tap the invite link or scan the QR code will see a Request to Join or Join group option instead of joining immediately.
The request is sent to the group admins for review.
Admins can approve or decline requests individually, or approve all pending requests at once.
Approved users are added to the group automatically. Declined users remain outside the group.
Group join requests applies only to users joining via invite link or QR code. Participants added directly by an admin are not affected.
When turned off while there are pending requests:
Note: Join requests expire after 7 days if no action is taken. Expired requests are removed automatically from the pending list.
How to Turn Group Join Requests On or Off
Group join requests can be turned on or off from Group Settings at any time. Only the group owner and admins can change this setting.
Android
Open the group chat.
Tap the group name to open the group info.
Scroll down and tap Group settings.
Toggle Approve new participants on to enable group join requests, or off to disable it.
iOS
- Open the group chat.
- Tap the group name to open the group info.
- Tap Group settings.
- Toggle Approve new participants on to enable group join requests, or off to disable it.
Note: If there are pending join requests when you turn off this setting, you will be prompted to confirm. Confirming will add all pending users to the group immediately.
How to Send a Join Request
If a group has Group join requests enabled, tapping the invite link or scanning the QR code will show you a Request to Join screen instead of adding you to the group immediately.
Android
- Tap the invite link or scan the group QR code.
- A preview screen will appear showing the group name, participant count, and mutual contacts.
- Tap Request to join.
- Your request will be sent to the group admins for review.
iOS
- Tap the invite link or scan the group QR code.
- A preview screen will appear showing the group name, participant count, and mutual contacts.
- Tap Request to join.
- Your request will be sent to the group admins for review.
Web
- Click the invite link or scan the group QR code.
- A preview screen will appear showing the group name, participant count, and mutual contacts.
- Click Join group.
- Your request will be sent to the group admins for review.
Note: Once your request is sent, you will see an Awaiting group join requests status along with the request expiry date. You can withdraw your request at any time.
How to Approve or Decline Join Requests
As an admin, you can view and manage all pending join requests.
View pending requests
Android
- Open the group chat.
- Tap the banner at the top of the chat showing the number of new join requests, or tap the group name and select Pending join requests.
- The pending requests list will open. Requests are grouped into Contacts and Not in your contacts.
- Tap the tick icon to approve a request, or the cross icon to decline.
iOS
- Open the group chat.
- Tap the banner at the top of the chat showing the number of new join requests, or tap the group name and select Pending join requests.
- The pending requests list will open. Requests are grouped into Contacts and Not in your contacts.
- Tap the tick icon to approve a request, or the cross icon to decline.
Web
Open the group chat.
Click the banner at the top of the chat showing the number of new join requests, or click the group name and select Pending join requests.
The pending requests list will open. Requests are grouped into Contacts and Not in your contacts.
Click the tick icon to approve a request, or the cross icon to decline.
Approve all requests - To approve all pending requests at once, tap the more options menu from the Pending join requests screen and select Approve all. A confirmation will appear showing the number of users who will be added to the group.
Note: If the group is full, approvals will be blocked. You will need to remove existing members or reject some requests before you can approve others.
Sort requests - From the Pending join requests screen, tap the more options menu and select Sort by time to view requests grouped by the date they were received, or Sort by contacts to group them by whether the requester is in your contacts.
FAQs
1. How long does a join request stay active?
Join requests expire after 7 days if no action is taken. The expiry date is shown next to each request in the pending list.
2. What happens if the group is full when I try to approve a request?
Approvals will be blocked when the group has reached its maximum participant limit. You will need to remove existing members or decline other requests to free up space.
3. Will users be notified when their request is approved or declined?
Yes. Users receive a push notification when their request is approved or declined.
4. What happens to pending requests if I reset the invite link?
Existing pending requests remain valid after a link reset. They are not cancelled automatically.
5. Can I turn off Group join requests without approving pending requests?
No. Turning off Group join requests while there are pending requests will automatically approve all of them. You will be shown a confirmation prompt before this happens.