WhatsApp’s new Lists feature makes organizing chats easier and more personal
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, for example, separate business and personal chats, or keep family chats in one place.
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 be displayed in the filter bar. And once a list is created, users can access editing options for the list with a long press.
Lists expand on and replace chat filters, allowing users to view four preset groups of chats: All, Unread, Favorites, and Groups.
The rollout of WhatsApp Lists starts today and the company says the new feature will be available to all users “in the coming weeks” – although 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 retaining the top spot.
Updates like Lists are not groundbreaking in themselves, but they ensure that WhatsApp can remain competitive, especially as native cross-platform communication becomes increasingly easier.
Earlier this year, Apple finally adopted the RCS standard for text messaging, simplifying multimedia communications between iPhone and Android phones – exactly WhatsApp’s niche target.
WhatsApp, in turn, got a handful of new video tools in March, a new design in May, and other updates throughout the year, like new features for the Windows app and the aforementioned chat filters.
Additionally, we’ve been hearing rumors all year that WhatsApp may 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 cross-platform relationships improve and AI adds new features to native messaging apps – but for now, we’re just looking forward to trying Lists out for ourselves.
For the latest updates, keep an eye on our special WhatsApp coverage and our phone coverage.