WhatsApp will soon let you filter archived and locked chats
What's the story
WhatsApp is working on a major update to its chat organization system. The upcoming feature will let users create dedicated chat lists using preset filters for archived and locked chats. This move comes as part of WhatsApp's ongoing efforts to improve user experience and make communication more efficient. The feature is currently under development and not available for beta testing yet.
User control
Chat list management
The chat list management feature lets users choose which lists to pin at the top of their Chats tab. Secondary lists can be accessed by tapping on "More," where all unpinned lists are displayed. This way, users can keep their interface clean while still having quick access to less frequently used filters. The upcoming update will further enhance this capability by introducing new preset filters for archived, locked, and third-party chats.
User convenience
Custom lists for specific criteria
The chat list feature also lets users create custom lists to organize chats based on specific criteria. For instance, users can create new lists for family members, coworkers, or friends. WhatsApp also provides some preset filters that automatically categorize conversations into predefined categories like unread chats, groups, communities, and favorites. This makes finding specific chats easier without having to create a custom list.
Privacy feature
Preset filter for locked chats
Along with the chat organization filters, WhatsApp is also working on a dedicated filter for locked chats. These are conversations that users keep in a protected section secured with Touch ID, Face ID, or device passcode. The section currently appears at the top of the Chats tab but will be replaced by a proper chat list in future updates.