Like Twitter, Instagram and other social apps, using the "@" symbol to tag someone will alert them. And yes, it will do so even if they've muted a conversation. While the change will make it more difficult to ignore the group chats you want no part of, it does seem useful. When you take into account that WhatsApp allows 256 users in a group, it can be difficult to keep up or making sure the right person sees your note. You can tag multiple users at once, too.

The new feature is available in Android and iOS versions of the app, but you won't be able to use it on the web. WhatsApp has been keen on regularly adding new features for group chats. Back in June, a new tool debuted that allows users to quote the exact message they're responding to in a group thread.