Whatsapp Expands Events Invites Beyond Its Users
A new Events hub will let hosts manage plans and RSVPs while inviting guests who can respond without a WhatsApp account.
WhatsApp is expanding its Events tools so hosts can invite people who do not have WhatsApp accounts. Those guests will be able to view an invitation and RSVP without signing up, according to Engadget. The update also adds a central place to create events, review plans and manage responses. Both Engadget and The Verge report that the features will reach all users in the coming weeks.
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Invitations beyond WhatsApp
The Verge reports that hosts can share an event link with someone who does not have the app installed. Engadget says a guest without a WhatsApp account can see event details and respond without creating an account or using WhatsApp. That extends WhatsApp’s existing event-planning tools to groups whose members are not all on the service.
There are limits on what invitees see. Both outlets report that WhatsApp will not display a host’s phone number to guests the host does not know. Guests without WhatsApp will see the event address only after they RSVP.
A hub for plans and responses
The new Events hub sits in WhatsApp’s Settings menu. It will show past and upcoming events and give hosts a place to manage invitations and RSVPs, the reports say. The Verge adds that hosts can create and send invites from the hub.
Hosts can add a header photo to personalize an event, according to Engadget. Both outlets report support for custom reminders, while The Verge says hosts can also offer guests a plus-one option. Together, the changes put more of the work of organizing an event and following up with guests in one place.
How the outlets frame the change
Engadget describes the wider invitation reach as a potential challenge to Partiful. The Verge also points to Facebook, Partiful and Apple Invites as alternatives, noting that some organizers may not have an iPhone or want to download another app. Neither report says how many people use WhatsApp’s event tools or predicts whether organizers will switch services.
Engadget places the update alongside other recent changes that let WhatsApp users connect with people outside the platform. It reports that WhatsApp added an option last month for people without accounts to join video calls, and introduced usernames this year so users can avoid sharing their phone numbers. The Events expansion similarly makes an account unnecessary for an invited guest to take part in a plan.
Sources
This story was compiled by AI from the reports below. Read the originals for the full details.