WhatsApp has introduced new chat filters to enhance user experience, particularly for those who primarily use the app as an inbox. These filters, which include "All," "Unread," and "Groups," are designed to streamline the process of finding specific messages. The "All" filter, selected by default, displays an unfiltered view of your inbox. The "Unread" filter is particularly useful for quickly identifying messages you haven't seen yet, helping users achieve inbox zero and reduce the clutter of unread chat indicators.
Previously, WhatsApp offered a way to view unread messages through a filter in the search bar.
The new filter bubbles positioned at the top of the chat screen make this option more accessible and user-friendly. The "Groups" filter, a highly requested feature, allows users to quickly navigate through all their group chats, including those within subgroups of Communities, WhatsApp's discussion group feature. This development may resonate with Gmail users, as Gmail introduced a similar feature in 2020 to simplify search functionality.
While these filters represent an initial effort, WhatsApp is reportedly working on additional filters, such as "Contacts" for filtering out messages from unknown sources and businesses, "Favorites" for marking frequently used contacts, and custom chat filters, which have been tested in various beta versions of the app.
The new filters are set to roll out to users starting today, with full availability expected within the next few weeks.This update aims to make WhatsApp more efficient and organized, allowing users to focus on what matters most by easily accessing their most important conversations.