[4] In early 2018, a segment was hosted on It's Showtime by Anne Curtis, Billy Crawford, Karylle and Jhong Hilario which determined the members of the group's first generation.

On April 22, the "Meet Your Oshimen" event was held, where three hundred lucky ticket-holding fans met and greeted their favourite MNL48 aspirants.

A few days after the election, eight trainees Reiko, Reina, Nix, Ann, Celine, Arol, Kana, and Ikee also left the group.

The group interpreted the song "Dalawang Pag-ibig Niya" alongside Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids alumni Krystal Brimner and Sheena Belarmino.

On December 21, MNL48 released "Amazing Grace" music video with MNL48 Gospel unit members Sheki, Belle, Brei, Rans, Faith and Aly.

[20] 16 First Generation members (including Cassandra Mae Pestillos, Ella Mae Amat, Eunys Abad, Guinevere Muse, Hazel Joy Marzonia, Jessel Montaos, Khyan Jewel Cacapit, Madelaine Epilogo, Necca Adelan, Princess Erica Sanico, Princess Rius Briquillo, Sharei Engbino, Edelvira Bandong, Jamela Magbanlac, Polaris Yna Salazar, Ruth Carla Dela Paz) and 13 Second Generation members (including Abbigail Shaine Reyes, Alexie Iris Dimaayo, Alyssandra Corteza, Anne Nicole Casitas, Christina Samantha Tagana, Chrisylle Joy Mondejar, Francese Therese Pinlac, Missy Ainza, Naomi Roniele De Guzman, Je-ann Benette Guinto, Karla Jane Tolentino, Shay Anne Enciso, Trisha Labrador) were eliminated in the Second General Election with the 12 remaining trainees (5 from first generation & 7 from second generation) as the replacement of 12 first generation promoted members who outranked in the said event.

Team NIV's Jhona Alyannah Padillo hailed as Shekinah Arzaga's successor as the "Center Girl" of the group.

The following month, Sayaka Awane of Team MII announced her graduation in their Interaction Live on June 3, she is the member who left the group after the Second General Election after Santillan.

Sayaka formally left the group after her final performance on June 9 at the Movie Stars Cafe, she was then replaced by Princess Rius Briquillo, a First Generation returning member.

A total of eight members of MNL48 will be flying to Shanghai, China for the AKB48 Group Asia Festival 2019, to be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center on August 24.

[25] On September 4, 2019, Ashley Cloud Garcia a member Team L announced her graduation from MNL48 making "Ikaw ang Melody" her last single from the group.

[31] On December 31, the annual "NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen" featured yet again AKB48 with MNL48 included as well as several members from its official local and international sister groups from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India, for a performance of their hit song, "Koisuru Fortune Cookie."

She becomes only the third performer from the Philippines to grace the prestigious "Kohaku Uta Gassen" stage, following Gary Valenciano in 1990 and the band Smokey Mountain in 1991.

Some of those included in that years lineup were iconic rockers Kiss, Japan's pop legends Arashi, and K-pop stars Twice.

[34][35] On January 25, MNL48 announces the third generation audition to determine who will be promoted to Training and Development Team as candidates for third year members.

One Love Asia is a charity event presented by YouTube and WebTVAsia that seeks to raise funds in support of UNICEF.

[41] On June 10, in one of MNL48's Kumu livestream, over-all captain Alice de Leon announced that she will join the Senbatsu for River as replacement for Rans Rifol who has then officially graduated from the group on October 20 of the same year.

[49] On May 18, in the midst of the voting process, Team NIV's Valerie Joyce Daita announced that she will no longer to join the third general election for personal reasons.

[55][56] On November 28, Team NIV's Belle delos Reyes withdrew her candidacy to complete the music video of River, leaving the 56 official candidates of the Third General Election.

[58] Few hours after the preliminary result, during her Instagram live, top member Sela Guia formally announced that she will withdraw her candidacy from the third edition of MNL48's General Election and leave the group.

[60] On September 1, MNL48 announced the formation of BABY BLUE, the group's first-ever sub-unit, in partnership with Tower Records Japan, a major Japanese music retailer.

[61] Following the announcement, BABY BLUE officially released its debut single titled "Sweet Talking Sugar", and was made available through EGGS, a Japanese digital music subscription service.

The track was performed by select members namely Shekinah Arzaga, Frances Pinlac, Cole Somera, Jamie Alberto, Yzabel Divinagracia, Ruth Lingat and Brei Binuya.

[71] The Third General Election concluded with Team NIV Abby Trinidad hailed as the new center of the Third Generation, which was announced live on the noontime show "It's Showtime" on February 20, 2021.

[72] The "senbatsu" lineup was completed by the following in rank order: Sheki Arzaga, Jamie Alberto, Ruth Lingat, Ella Amat, Jan Elaurza, Andi Garcia, Jem Caldejon, Yzabel Divinagracia, Gabb Skribikin, Alice De Leon, Princess Briquillo, Lara Layar, Coleen Trinidad, Thea Itona and Tin Coloso.

[80][81] On December 18, MNL48 held its first on-site event to allow live audiences since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, with Novotel Manila Araneta City as their venue.

[87] On July 15, A total of 18 P-POP acts including MNL48 joined forces for the first-ever Tugatog: Filipino Music Festival, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

[89] The line-up also includes other P-Pop groups like BGYO, BINI, ALAMAT, PPOP Generation, VXON, LITZ, first.One, Press Hit Play, Dione, Calista, R Rules, G22, DAYDREAM, and YARA.

“The Breakthrough” follows MNL48's mall shows, and the group's consecutive live performances at the music festivals P-Pop Con in April and Tugatog in July.

[98] On June 12, a day that coincided with Philippine Declaration of Independence, MNL48 released an 8th single called "Summertime" as the first original composition of a group after more than two years.