WhatsApp is launching a new way to organize your chats into custom categories, building on the addition of chat filters earlier this year.
The new Lists feature lets users create, edit, and organize lists of their chats, so you can separate business and personal chats or keep family chats in one place, for example.
Users can create a list by tapping the plus button in the filter bar at the top of the chat tab. Both group and individual chats can be added to a list, which will then appear in the filter bar. And once a list is created, users can access editing options for the list with a long press.
Lists expand and replace chat filters, allowing users to view four preset groups of chats: All, Unread, Favorites, and Groups.
WhatsApp Lists is rolling out today, and the company says the new feature will be available to all users “soon,” though we don’t have a specific date for when the new feature will be available to everyone.
WhatsApp updates in 2024
It’s been a big year for the world’s most popular messaging app, as Meta continues to update WhatsApp in hopes of maintaining its top spot.
Updates like Lists aren’t groundbreaking in themselves, but they do help WhatsApp stay competitive, especially as native cross-platform communication becomes easier and easier.
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Earlier this year, Apple finally adopted the RCS standard for SMS messaging, simplifying multimedia communication between iPhone and Android phones — exactly WhatsApp’s niche target audience.
WhatsApp, meanwhile, got a handful of new video tools in March, a redesign in May, and other updates throughout the year, like new features for the Windows app and the aforementioned chat filters.
Plus, we’ve heard rumors all year that WhatsApp could offer better integration with AI toolsets like Samsung’s Galaxy AI, or Meta’s own AI features, as well as an AirDrop-like file-sharing system.
It’s clear that Meta is keen to keep people on WhatsApp, as relationships between platforms improve and AI brings new features to native messaging apps. But for now, we’re just looking forward to trying Lists for ourselves.
For the latest updates, stay tuned to our dedicated WhatsApp coverage and our phone coverage.