Tumblr has launched group chats. Tumblr's group chats are ephemeral, publicly viewable, and designed to connect people who are passionate about niche interests. And they're available right now on Tumblr's mobile apps on Android and iOS.

Tumblr hasn't had a great time of it of late. To the point that many people seem to have forgotten it even exists. Tumblr has always been home to an eclectic mix of people with niche interests, and it was also NSFW until Tumblr banned adult content.

Now, Tumblr is trying to tempt lapsed users back with a new group chats feature.

How to Use Tumblr's Group Chats

Tumblr's new group chats are designed to foster realtime discussions and help connect communities across the social media platform. All group chats are publicly viewable, so anyone on Tumblr can view them. However, only members can participate in group chats.

Owners of group chats can invite people to join them. And approve or deny requests to join. Group chats supports up to 100 members, including the owner. All messages disappear after 24 hours, and once a message has gone live it cannot be edited.

To get started using Tumblr's new group chats, first, update Tumblr to version 14.5.1 or later. Then, you can either find and join existing group chats by searching for the subjects(s) you're interested in, or create a new group chat about your passion.

Existing group chats will show up in searches based on their title, tags, and description. You can then preview the group chat, and "Request to join". To create a new group chat, click the group chat icon in the top-right, and tap the "+" button.

Useful Tumblr Tips for Beginners

Tumblr's group chats are an interesting development. Tumblr is a platform built on static content which is shared and liked. Group chats add a realtime element, allowing people to connect in a different way. Which will hopefully help foster communities.

If this piques your interest in Tumblr, check out our useful Tumblr tips for beginners.