WhatsApp is rolling out a chat list to track mentions and replies

WhatsApp is making it easier for users to find mentions and replies in their group chats on Android. The update introduces a new filter that lists group chats where someone mentioned the user or replied to one of their messages. The filter is optional, and users can easily move it in the separate list menu.

WhatsApp was developing the mentions and replies filter

In the post about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.34.4 update, we announced a new smart filter for the chat list. The filter would collect all conversations where someone mentioned the user or replied to one of their messages in a group chat. It is compatible with groups and communities, as both can appear in the new list. The filter is optional, so it's possible to disable it or keep it separate from the main chat list.

WhatsApp is introducing the mentions and replies filter

In these three months, WhatsApp refined the filter to make sure it only displays chats with a mention or reply. Finally, WhatsApp is making it available to some beta testers. We discovered this with the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.42.12 update, which is available on the Google Play Store. With this update, WhatsApp is rolling out a new filter to track mentions and replies. The feature makes it simpler for users to filter and find group chats where others mentioned them.

What the mentions and replies filter shows

WhatsApp places the new filter at the top of the Chats tab, where users can find other existing filters like Unread, Favorites, and Groups. When users tap it, WhatsApp shows only the conversations where someone mentioned them or replied to their message. If there are no pending mentions or replies, the filter shows an empty screen. Users can easily go back to the full list by tapping the link at the center of the page. The filter shows a badge that indicates the number of conversations where there are pending mentions and replies.

How the filter works in community chats

WhatsApp is not limiting the new filter to group chats. It also includes community chats. This means that users who joined a community can see its group chats in the filter when someone mentions them or replies to their message. This is useful when users join large communities, where they may easily miss a mention or a reply. As a result, users can open the new chat list and quickly find the interaction.

Why this filter may be more useful than notifications

WhatsApp already sends a notification when someone mentions a user or replies to their message. However, those notifications disappear as soon as the user opens the app. If the user didn't notice the notification, they may take a while before finding the chat where they were mentioned. Instead, the Mentions and replies filter is always available, even after the user has already opened the app and cleared their notifications.

The list to filter mentions and replies is optional

As soon as the filter becomes available, WhatsApp automatically adds it to the Chats tab. However, the Mentions and replies filter is optional. This means that users can disable it from the app settings at any time. Users who want to keep the Chats tab clearer can move it to the separate "More" section. By moving the filter in the secondary section, users can still use it when they need to track their mentions and filters.

WhatsApp is rolling out the mentions and replies filter to Android beta testers

The Mentions and replies filter is available to some users who install the latest update from the Google Play Store. WhatsApp is rolling it out gradually, so not every beta tester will see the filter immediately. If the new chat list does not appear yet, it should become available to more accounts over the coming weeks. WhatsApp has not announced when this will be available to everyone.

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