Meta is preparing[1] a new measure to contain spam on WhatsApp. The company will start testing a cap on how many messages users and businesses can send when they don’t receive a reply.
The test will count every message sent to a contact who hasn’t responded. If someone replies, earlier messages are removed from the total. WhatsApp will show a notice when a person or business gets close to the limit, explaining how many messages remain for the month.
The company hasn’t shared an exact figure. It said that the change is aimed mainly at accounts that send large batches of messages, not ordinary users. The trial will run in several countries over the next few weeks.
Spam Control and User Experience
WhatsApp now serves more than three billion people, and its role has grown far beyond personal chat. It connects families, groups, communities, and businesses. That growth has also made it a target for unwanted promotions and scams. Many users receive marketing messages and unknown contact requests that crowd their inboxes.
In India alone, where WhatsApp has over 500 million users, this type of spam is a regular complaint. The new cap follows earlier steps by Meta to control this behavior. In 2024, WhatsApp started testing monthly limits on how many marketing messages a business could send. The company also added an option to unsubscribe from promotional updates. This year, it began expanding controls on broadcast lists, which limit how many people can be reached in one go.
Earlier Efforts and Account Bans
Despite several measures, unwanted activity has continued. Spammers often find ways to bypass filters and automated systems. Meta reported that it banned more than 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts linked to scam centers in the first half of 2025. Around the same time, WhatsApp introduced alerts that warn users when someone outside their contacts adds them to a group.
These steps form part of a wider attempt to keep conversations safer without disrupting regular communication. Many of the company’s updates now focus on making spam harder to spread through large contact lists or automated tools.
Preparing for New Username System
The limit also comes as WhatsApp prepares a username feature that will let people connect without sharing phone numbers. That update could make the platform easier to use for new contacts but also raise fresh concerns about spam. By setting a cap on unanswered messages, Meta wants to keep the balance between openness and user control.
The new rule is still in testing, but its purpose is clear. Meta is trying to discourage persistent, unwanted messaging while keeping daily conversations unaffected.
