WhatsApp Launches New 'Chat Filters' Feature: What Is It And How To Use

WhatsApp chat filters come in three forms for the users

WhatsApp has recently added several new features to make it easier for individuals to use the app while protecting their privacy. Many features have been released in the previous few days, ranging from expanding access to the Meta AI chatbot to allowing users to order bus tickets using the app.

And now, the instant messaging platform has added another tool that will help you filter through your communications more efficiently. The new feature is called “chat filters” that will allow users to effortlessly search for messages from groups, specific contacts or businesses.

What Are Chat Filters?

Chat filters are tools or features within messaging applications that allow users to sort, organize or prioritise their conversations based on specific criteria. Just like filters in e-commerce platforms help users find the right products or in job search platforms like LinkedIn help users find relevant job listings, chat filters in messaging apps like WhatsApp help users locate the most pertinent conversations quickly and efficiently.

With chat filters, users can categorize their conversations based on various factors such as sender, keywords, groups, or time, making it easier to manage a large volume of messages. This functionality is akin to organizing emails in Gmail using labels or categories, enabling users to streamline their communication and focus on the most important or relevant chats.

“As people increasingly do more on WhatsApp, it’s more important than ever before to be able to get to your messages fast. That’s why today we’re launching new Chat Filters so you can do that without having to scroll through your full inbox,” WhatsApp said via a press release.

How To Use WhatsApp Chat Filters

WhatsApp has currently introduced three filters: All, Unread, and Groups.

The All filter in WhatsApp displays all of your chats in their default view, essentially showing all conversations without any filtering applied. Conversely, the “Unread” filter shows only those chats that you haven’t responded to or that have been marked as unread, helping you prioritize and catch up on pending messages.

When you select the “Groups” filter, WhatsApp displays all of your group discussions, making it easier to access and manage your group chats separately from individual conversations.

WhatsApp believes that filters will “make it easier for people to stay organised and find their most important conversations and help navigate through messages more efficiently,” as reported by the Times of India.

Another feature that’s getting a lot of attention is WhatsApp’s Meta AI assistant. The company’s AI-powered conversation assistant, Meta AI, was unveiled at Meta Connect 2023. Meta had announced at the time that it would be integrating the AI chatbot into WhatsApp.

In November of last year, Indian users did not have access to the AI chatbot, while some users in the US did. However, recently, the Meta AI assistant, capable of creating graphics and responding to queries, has been made available to several Indian users.