Automating message transfers between WhatsApp groups

You can automate message transfers between WhatsApp groups, but success mostly comes down to the architecture.

This article walks through a “pro” approach with n8n or Make, and why it’s not just a copy-paste problem.

What to plan before you start

Define the transfer “contract”

Which source group and which target group?
Transfer everything, or filter (keywords, hashtags, time windows, authors)?
What about media (images, PDFs, audio)?
Do you need to anonymize information (name, phone number)?
Who signs off on internal compliance?

In 15 minutes, you can avoid 80% of the back-and-forth later.

Recommended architecture

1) A trigger: an incoming webhook

You need a “new message received” event. Some solutions provide a webhook you can connect directly to n8n or Make.

Example: Green API documents an n8n integration and Make modules, including webhook-based message reception and group management endpoints.

2) A rules engine

Inside n8n/Make, you add blocks like:

“If the message contains #ops”
“If it’s an attachment, forward the file”
“If it’s a system message, ignore it”

3) Deduplication (non-negotiable)

Without deduplication, you’ll get:

multiple forwards (webhook re-sent)
loops (if Group B forwards back to Group A)
replays after incidents

The simplest approach: store a message identifier (or a hash) in a small store (Make Data Store, Redis, Google Sheets, a DB). Then: “if already seen, stop.”

4) A sender: post to the target group

Depending on your setup:

either via your gateway’s endpoints,
or via the official route if you’re eligible.

On the official side, the WhatsApp Business Platform “Groups” documentation describes a framework with limits: small groups (max 8), invitation flows, and access conditions.

n8n or Make: which one should you pick?

Choose n8n if:

you want a more robust flow (retries, complex branching, storage, enrichment)
you need self-hosting
you want to connect a database or internal systems

Choose Make if:

you want to move fast
your scenario is linear (A → rules → B)
you prefer a very guided UI

Both work. The real difference is how complex your rules are and how comfortable you are with the technical side.

Common pitfalls (and how to avoid them)

Pitfall 1: “It worked in testing, then… nothing”

You need:

readable logs (message received, message forwarded, error)
alerting (email/Slack) if the failure rate goes above X

Pitfall 2: Losing media

Often, media arrives as a temporary link or an ID. You need to download it, then re-send it properly (and handle size/format limits).

Pitfall 3: Creating a loop between two groups

Add a simple rule: never re-forward a message that has already been forwarded, or tag messages (e.g. “[Relay]”) and filter anything with that tag.

Pitfall 4: Underestimating “Group API” constraints

Even with the official option, group support isn’t the same as consumer WhatsApp. Limits (size, invitations, eligibility) change how you should design the process.

Example of a “clean” workflow (what good looks like)

When a message arrives in Group A:

Check it comes from an authorized user
Apply rules (e.g. #urgent)
Check deduplication
Forward to Group B with context (author, date, link)
Log it and alert if needed

That’s what makes a reliable transfer, not a fragile demo.

Fenxi can set it up for you, starting at €50/month

At Fenxi Technologies, we offer a “WhatsApp group transfer automation” package:

n8n or Make setup
WhatsApp connection (gateway or official option depending on your case)
rules + deduplication + logs
documented delivery

In most standard cases, we do it for €50/month (simple scenario, 1 source → 1 target).