How to find WhatsApp channels, in short: open the Updates tab, tap the plus next to Channels, and choose Find channels. The directory there lets you sort the list and filter it by country. The harder job is deciding which ones deserve a follow, and that is what most of this guide is about.
If you are not sure a channel is what you want in the first place, our comparison of channels, groups and communities sorts that out first.
How to find WhatsApp channels in the in-app directory
WhatsApp put a channel directory in the Updates tab. The exact menu wording shifts between app versions, so look for the plus icon beside the Channels heading if the labels differ from what we describe.
The directory can be sorted by new, most active or most popular, and it can be filtered by country. WhatsApp's announcement of the global rollout describes the country filter, and the original channels post covers the directory itself.
WhatsApp does not spell out how it scores each label, so read them as hints. Our reading is that most popular rewards channels that already have a crowd, and most active favours channels that post often. The second suits a news feed. It says little about whether the posts are any good.
Set the country filter before anything else. If you want exam updates, local jobs or deals that apply in India, a global list gives you a great deal that does not.
Searching by name, and following from a link
If you already know the name, use the search field in the directory. Names get copied, so check the channel's picture and description against where you heard about it.
If someone sent you a link, tap it. Channel links start with whatsapp.com/channel, and they open the channel page with a Follow button. Tap Follow and the channel appears in your Updates tab. You can mute or unfollow at any time.
Following is quieter than joining a group. According to WhatsApp, the admin does not see your phone number, and neither do other followers. If that matters to you, we compare what strangers can see across apps in our piece on group privacy.
Browsing channels outside WhatsApp
The in-app directory is organised around the sort options, not topics. If you want channels on a subject, such as finance, jobs, exam preparation or entertainment, a topic-based listing is quicker.
Our WhatsApp channel links directory collects channel links by topic, so you can narrow to the area you care about. Open a link from there and you land on the same Follow button.
Telegram channels have a similar discovery problem and a different set of traps, notably inflated follower counts. We cover those in finding Telegram channels by topic.
Starting from people you already follow
The most reliable route is often not the directory at all. If you like a creator, a newspaper or a coaching brand, check their website or social profile for a channel link. That link is theirs, and it avoids lookalikes.
Impersonators exist for exactly the names people search for: news outlets, banks, exam bodies, well-known creators. A channel with a familiar name and a few posts is not proof of anything. Match the link against the official website before you trust it.
Checking a channel before you follow
A channel costs nothing to follow, so the check is quick.
Remember that channels are not end-to-end encrypted by default, and that posts stay on WhatsApp's servers for up to 30 days. If a post is useful, forward it to yourself or save it. If it is advice about money, check the source independently.
What to expect from the popular lists
A channel at the top of most popular is there because many people followed it. That tells you it is big, not that it is good, accurate or honest. Big channels are also the ones that scammers copy.
The smaller, quieter channels in a niche you care about are often more useful: a single exam coaching teacher, a city's job notices, a small dealer's offers. They rarely appear on the popular list and are easier to judge, since you can read all of their recent posts in a few minutes.
Keeping the feed under control
A tab full of channels becomes noise quickly. Mute the ones you like but do not need instantly, and unfollow without guilt, since a channel does not post a leaving notice the way a group does.
Following a few you actually read beats following far too many to keep up with.
Where to start looking
Open the Updates tab, set your country, and spend a few minutes in the most active list. Then open the channel directory above, or work through the category index, to find ones on topics you care about. For the general idea of how links like these work, read our guide to finding and vetting communities.