
WhatsApp broadcast lists let you send messages to multiple customers at once, while keeping each conversation private. They save time and make communication more efficient, but each platform, such as Android, iOS, and WhatsApp Web, handles them slightly differently.
This guide walks you through creating, editing, and deleting broadcast lists across all platforms. You’ll see clear, step-by-step instructions for every device, so you can manage broadcasts efficiently, keep your contacts organized, and avoid common setup mistakes.
By the end, you’ll be able to run broadcasts smoothly, without guesswork or wasted effort, and integrate them seamlessly into your daily WhatsApp workflow.
A WhatsApp broadcast list is a one-to-many communication tool that lets you send the same message to multiple contacts at once without creating a group. These lists are saved collections of contacts, so you can repeatedly message them without having to select each contact every time.
Unlike WhatsApp groups, broadcast lists keep each message private. Recipients see it as a direct one-on-one chat, not a group conversation.
For businesses, this means you can:
Creating a broadcast list is straightforward, but the steps vary slightly depending on whether you’re using Android, iOS, or WhatsApp Web. In the following sections, you’ll see step-by-step instructions for each platform.
WhatsApp Web and Desktop do not support creating or editing broadcast lists. Lists created on mobile will appear there only for viewing or sending messages already composed, but you cannot create new ones directly on the Web/Desktop.
Labels in WhatsApp Business let you organize your contacts into meaningful groups for targeted messaging. Instead of sending the same message to your entire audience, labels help you segment contacts based on behavior, purchase history, or campaign type.
For example, if you’re running a weekend sale, you can select the label “VIP Customers” to send a targeted offer only to high-value clients, rather than your entire contact list.
Why use labels:
Step 1: Open WhatsApp Business.
Step 2: Go to the Chats tab and tap Broadcast Lists > New List (iOS) or More options >
New Broadcast (Android).
Step 3: Select contacts using their labels. For example, you might choose contacts labeled “Weekly Promotions” or “Event Updates.”
Step 4: Tap Create to finalize your list.
Step 5: Customize your broadcast message with:
Step 6 (Optional): Add a profile image to make your broadcasts more recognizable to recipients.
You may need to edit a broadcast list to add or remove contacts, or to rename it for clarity. Keeping your lists updated ensures your messages reach the right audience without confusion.
Here are the steps to edit your broadcast lists on Android and iOS.
Over time, some broadcast lists may become outdated, irrelevant, or redundant. Deleting a list helps keep your messaging organized, reduce clutter, and ensure updates reach only the right contacts. It also prevents mistakes, like sending a promotion to the wrong audience or duplicating messages across lists.
As your business grows, the simple broadcast lists in WhatsApp start to show their limits. What worked when you had a few dozen contacts can quickly become a bottleneck, restricting your reach, slowing your campaigns, and making it harder to maintain meaningful connections.
Here’s why standard WhatsApp broadcasts may hold back your marketing efforts and what each limitation means for your business:
Together, these limitations mean that standard WhatsApp broadcasts are ideal for small-scale, manual outreach, but they quickly become inefficient and restrictive as your business grows. For scalable, personalized, and data-driven marketing, businesses need advanced solutions like the WhatsApp Business API, which enable them to reach larger audiences, automate processes, and integrate with other business systems.
WhatsApp recognized the limitation of broadcasting and introduced the WhatsApp Business API. Today, official platforms provide API access with advanced marketing capabilities designed to handle large audiences efficiently, while keeping communication personal, measurable, and professional. These platforms are not just scalable—they solve the day-to-day challenges businesses face with broadcasts.
Here’s how API-based platforms help you overcome broadcast limitations:
In short, the WhatsApp Business API transforms marketing from manual, small-scale broadcasts into a professional, scalable, and data-driven communication channel. Businesses can now reach more people, send relevant messages, track results, and manage campaigns efficiently, all while keeping messaging personal and compliant.
Related: How to Use WhatsApp API for Broadcast Messaging
Using the WhatsApp Business API directly can be complex. Managing templates, approvals, and large-scale campaigns requires technical expertise, time, and compliance knowledge, challenges that slow down growth for Shopify stores and small businesses.
Zoko simplifies this. It provides official API access along with built-in marketing capabilities so that you can run professional, scalable WhatsApp campaigns without technical overhead.
What Zoko gives your business
Turn WhatsApp into a full marketing engine for your business with Zoko. Engage, qualify, and convert customers seamlessly. Start Your Free Trial
No. Broadcasts sent from the regular WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app only reach contacts who have saved your number. If they haven’t, the message won’t be delivered. API-based messaging does not have this limitation.
A broadcast sends a message privately to many contacts at once. A group keeps everyone in one shared conversation where participants can see each other’s replies. Broadcasts are better for business updates where privacy and clarity matter.
This is a hard limit set by WhatsApp for the standard app. It’s meant for small-scale communication. If you need to reach larger audiences, you’ll need the WhatsApp Business API through a platform like Zoko.
Not in the standard app. Messages go out exactly as written. With the WhatsApp Business API, you can personalize messages using dynamic fields like customer name, order details, or tailored offers.
The API lets you send large-scale campaigns, automate messages, segment audiences, schedule broadcasts, use interactive templates, track performance, and integrate with tools like Shopify or your CRM, none of which are possible with basic broadcasts.



