WhatsApp Introduces Innovative ‘Chat Filters’ Feature: Here’s How to Utilize It

WhatsApp has recently added several new features to make it easier for individuals to use the app while protecting their privacy. Several features have been released in the past few days, from extending 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 your communications more effectively. The new feature is called “Chat Filters” which will allow users to easily search for messages from groups, specific contacts or businesses.

What are chat filters?
Chat filters are tools or features in messaging applications that allow users to sort, organize, or prioritize their conversations based on certain criteria. Just as filters in e-commerce platforms help users find the right products or job search platforms like LinkedIn help users find relevant job listings, chat filters in messaging apps like WhatsApp help users find the most relevant 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 large volumes of messages. This functionality is similar to organizing emails in Gmail using labels or categories, enabling users to streamline their communications and focus on the most important or relevant chats.

“As people do more and more on WhatsApp, it’s more important than ever to be able to get to your messages quickly. That’s why today we’re launching new chat filters so you can do it without scrolling through your entire inbox,” WhatsApp said through a press release.

How to use WhatsApp chat filters
WhatsApp has currently introduced three filters: All, Unread and Groups.

All Filter in WhatsApp shows all your chats in their default view, essentially showing all conversations without applying any filtering. Conversely, the “Unread” filter shows only 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 “Group” filter, WhatsApp displays all your group discussions, making it easy to access and manage your group chats separately from individual conversations.

As reported by the media, WhatsApp believes the filters will “make it easier for people to stay organized and find their most important conversations and help them navigate messages more efficiently.” Another feature that is getting a lot of attention is WhatsApp’s Meta AI assistant. The company’s AI-powered conversational assistant, Meta AI, was unveiled in Meta Connect 2023. Meta announced at the time that it would integrate an AI chatbot into WhatsApp. In November 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 answering questions, has been made available to many Indian users.