- How to star a message on WhatsApp
- Where to find starred messages
- How to unstar messages
- What starred messages are good for
- Starred messages vs search vs pinned messages
- Make starring a habit for work chats
- Do starred messages survive a phone change?
- Starred messages not showing?
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
To star a message on WhatsApp, tap and hold the message and tap the star icon at the top. To see every starred message in one place, open the menu above your chat list and tap Starred. Removing a star never deletes the message itself.
Starred messages are WhatsApp's bookmarks. An address someone sent you, a booking reference, a client's instructions buried in a long group chat: star it once and you can find it again in seconds, without scrolling back through months of conversation. It's one of the most useful features in the app and one of the least used. Here's how to star a message on your phone and computer, where to find everything you've starred, and how to clear the list when it gets cluttered.
How to star a message on WhatsApp
- Open the chat.
- Tap and hold the message you want to keep.
- Tap the star icon in the menu at the top.
A small star appears on the message, so you can spot it later when you scroll through the chat. On WhatsApp Web or desktop, hover over the message, click the small arrow menu and choose Star.
Where to find starred messages
Starred messages from every chat are collected in one list:
- On your phone: tap the menu above your chat list, then Starred.
- On WhatsApp Web or desktop: click the menu above your chats list, then Starred messages.
Tap any starred message to jump straight to it in the original conversation, with the messages around it for context. That context is what makes stars better than copying text into a note: you can see who said it, when, and what came before and after.
How to unstar messages
| What you want | How to do it |
|---|---|
| Unstar one message | Tap and hold it in the chat, then tap the star icon again |
| Unstar several | In the Starred list, tap and hold the messages, then tap the star icon |
| Unstar everything | In the Starred list, open the menu and choose Unstar all |
WhatsApp is clear that removing a star won't delete the message. It just takes the bookmark off.
What starred messages are good for
- Addresses and directions for an event you're going to.
- Booking references and order numbers sent by a business.
- Client instructions in a project group, so you don't miss the one message that matters.
- Wi-Fi passwords and door codes friends have sent.
- Links and documents you want to read later.
I'd star anything you know you'll need again within the week, and anything you'd hate to lose. It's faster than taking a screenshot, and the starred message keeps the original file or link working.
Starred messages vs search vs pinned messages
| Tool | Best for | Who sees it |
|---|---|---|
| Star | Your personal bookmarks across all chats | Only you |
| Search | Finding something you didn't bookmark | Only you |
| Pin | Keeping a message at the top of one chat | Everyone in the chat |
If you didn't star something and now need it, search is your friend. WhatsApp search covers messages, photos, videos, links, GIFs, audio, documents and polls, either across all chats or inside one.
Make starring a habit for work chats
If you run any part of your business through WhatsApp, starred messages save real time. Client groups move fast, and the one message with the approved wording or the final delivery date gets pushed up the screen within an hour. Star it the moment it arrives. At the end of each week, open your Starred list, act on anything outstanding, and unstar what's done. It turns a chaotic chat into a simple to-do list, and nobody else can see your stars, so there's no awkwardness about what you've flagged.
Stars work just as well for personal life: the school's term dates in a parents' group, the address of a holiday rental, the name of the plumber your neighbour recommended. Anything you'd otherwise screenshot is a good candidate, and unlike a screenshot, it stays linked to the conversation it came from.
Do starred messages survive a phone change?
Starred messages live in your chat history, so they move with it when you restore a backup on a new phone. If you don't back up and set WhatsApp up fresh, your stars go along with the old chats. Before switching phones, check your backup is up to date. On Android, backups usually go to your Google account, so check the date of your last backup in Settings, then Chats, then Chat backup. And remember that stars are private: for what WhatsApp does tell other people, see whether WhatsApp tells people about screenshots.
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Starred messages not showing?
- If the chat was cleared or deleted, check whether starred messages went with it. WhatsApp's clear-chat options can let you keep starred messages, so read the prompt carefully.
- If the sender deleted the message for everyone, it won't be there to find.
- Check you're looking in the right account if you use more than one.
- Update WhatsApp if the Starred option is missing from the menu.
If WhatsApp itself is playing up, start with why WhatsApp isn't ringing for notification fixes.
My verdict
Tap and hold, tap the star: that's the habit worth building. Your Starred list becomes a personal filing cabinet for everything important people send you, and it's private to you. Clear it out now and then with Unstar all so it stays useful.
Frequently asked questions
How do I star a message on WhatsApp?
Tap and hold the message, then tap the star icon in the menu at the top.
Where are starred messages on WhatsApp?
Open the menu above your chat list and tap Starred. On WhatsApp Web, it's called Starred messages.
Does unstarring a WhatsApp message delete it?
No. WhatsApp says removing the star won't delete the message.
Can other people see my starred messages?
No. Stars are personal bookmarks, so only you can see them.
How do I unstar all messages on WhatsApp?
Open the Starred list from the menu above your chats, open its menu and choose Unstar all.
Can I star messages on WhatsApp Web?
Yes. Hover over the message, click the menu arrow and choose Star. Find them under Starred messages.
