WhatsApp to limit messages sent without replies in new anti-spam move

WhatsApp will soon begin limiting the number of messages users and businesses can send to people who have not responded, as part of a new global initiative to reduce spam on the platform.

The Meta-owned messaging service said the limit will count every outgoing message sent without a reply toward a monthly cap, aimed at deterring mass outreach from businesses or individuals sending unsolicited messages.

While WhatsApp has not revealed the exact limit, it said different thresholds will be tested across countries in the coming weeks. Users and businesses will receive pop-up alerts as they near their monthly cap to prevent message blocks.

A WhatsApp spokesperson told TechCrunch that most users will remain unaffected, as the restrictions mainly target accounts sending large volumes of unwanted messages.

The move builds on WhatsApp’s broader effort to control commercial spam, following earlier measures such as limiting marketing broadcasts and allowing users to unsubscribe from business notifications.

With over two billion users globally, WhatsApp’s latest policy aims to maintain its privacy-focused image while tightening oversight of its increasingly business-driven ecosystem.