How to Make a Poll on WhatsApp (Chats, Groups and Channels)

Polls are the quickest way to settle a group argument about where to eat, and they're just as handy for a club, a team or a small business deciding on a date. Instead of scrolling through thirty replies, you ask one question and everyone taps an answer. WhatsApp's help pages and its own blog describe how polls work in chats and in channels, so I've stuck to those. Here's how to start one, the settings worth knowing, and what's different when you want to ask your channel followers instead.

Make a poll on WhatsApp from the attach menu

WhatsApp's help page on sharing media, documents, location and contacts lists Poll as one of the options in the attach menu, in both individual and group chats. On Android the steps look like this:

1. Open the individual chat or group chat where you want to ask the question.
2. Tap the attach (paper clip) icon.
3. Tap Poll from the list that appears, alongside Document, Camera, Gallery, Audio, Location and Contact.
4. Type your question, then add the answer options.
5. Tap the send button to post it.

On iPhone, WhatsApp's help page for sharing media doesn't spell out the poll route in the part I could read, so I won't invent one. Open a chat, tap the plus or attach button next to the message box and look for Poll in the list. Menus vary by app version, so update WhatsApp first if you can't see it.

WhatsApp poll settings: single answer, end time and hidden names

Polls have a few controls that WhatsApp has added over time. Its blog describes them like this:

• Single-vote polls: if you need a definitive answer, turn off the allow multiple answers option when you create the poll, so people can vote only once.
• End time: you can set a time that locks voting when time is up, which is useful for deadlines such as choosing a venue before a booking closes.
• Hidden voter names: you can hide voter names so the whole group feels more comfortable sharing their preferences.
• Editing: you can edit your poll question within 15 minutes if you spot a typo or need to clarify.

These settings appear as you build the poll, so look through the options before you send. If a group is full of people who dislike being put on the spot, hiding names is a kind choice.

Find and follow a WhatsApp poll after you've sent it

Nobody can answer every poll straight away, and polls can get buried in a busy chat. WhatsApp's blog says you can filter messages by polls, the same way you can for photos, videos or links. On the Chats screen, press Search and then Polls to see a list of all results.

The creator also gets a notification when people vote, so you can keep up with the answers without opening the chat every few minutes.

Polls in WhatsApp groups for clubs, classes and small businesses

A poll works best when the question is short and the options are clear. Some ways I'd use them:

• Pick a meeting day: one option per day, multiple answers on, so people can choose every day that works.
• Choose between two ideas: single answer, so you get a clear winner.
• Gauge interest in an event before you book anything.
• Ask customers in a group which product or topic they'd like next, with names hidden if you want honest answers.

If the people in your group use Facebook's chat app as well, my guide to making a poll on Messenger covers the same job there.

How to create a poll on a WhatsApp channel

Channels work differently. WhatsApp's help page for channel polls says that, like all channel updates, polls are public and anyone using channels can vote on them. The steps in the version I read were written for WhatsApp on a computer. In short, you go to your channel, open the attach menu, choose Poll and then Ask Question, add text or a photo for each option, and send it.

• To stop people choosing more than one answer, turn off Allow multiple answers.
• You can reorder the options by dragging them.
• A photo poll lets you use a photo for each option, up to 12 in total.
• You can't edit a channel poll, but you can delete it and create a new one. Deleting is possible for up to 30 days.

As a channel admin you can see who voted, when they voted and their profile photo, depending on their privacy settings. If you're curious about what channel followers can and can't see on your side, my piece on whether you can see who viewed your WhatsApp channel goes through it.

If you can't find the poll option on WhatsApp

1. Update WhatsApp to the latest version from your phone's app store.
2. Check you're in a chat or group, not on the Chats list. Polls start from inside a conversation.
3. Look in the attach menu again; menus vary by app version and the list may be scrolled.
4. If you want a poll on a channel, make sure you're the channel admin and look for the Poll option in the attach menu.

If it's still missing, the app version is the most likely cause. WhatsApp has been adding poll controls in stages, and not every setting shows up on every device at once.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a poll on WhatsApp?

Open a chat or group, tap the attach icon, choose Poll, type your question and options and tap send. Menus vary by app version.

Can I make a poll in a WhatsApp group?

Yes. WhatsApp's help page lists Poll in the attach menu for individual and group chats, and its blog describes group polls with end times and hidden voter names.

Can I limit a WhatsApp poll to one answer?

Yes. WhatsApp's blog says to turn off the allow multiple answers option when you create the poll, so people can vote only once.

Can I edit a WhatsApp poll after sending it?

WhatsApp's blog says you can edit the poll question within 15 minutes of sending. Channel polls can't be edited, but you can delete them and make a new one.

Can people see who voted in a WhatsApp poll?

You can hide voter names when you create a group poll. Channel polls are public, and channel admins can see who voted depending on privacy settings.