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Meta-owned WhatsApp is testing a new feature that automatically separates messages from large businesses into a dedicated folder, helping users keep their personal conversations more organised. The latest WhatsApp updates are designed to reduce inbox clutter while ensuring important business communications remain easy to access.
The feature comes as WhatsApp continues expanding its business ecosystem. During Meta’s second-quarter 2026 earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that the company’s “other revenue” within the Family of Apps segment surpassed $1 billion, driven largely by WhatsApp paid messaging and subscription services.
New Folder for Business Messages
One of the latest WhatsApp updates introduces an “Offers & Updates” folder for messages received from large businesses such as banks, airlines, retailers, and delivery services.
Under the feature currently being tested, eligible business messages will automatically move from the main chat list into the new folder after a set period. WhatsApp said it is experimenting with different time intervals, with messages being transferred after up to 24 hours.
Users who prefer to keep these messages in their main inbox can disable the feature. However, the timing of when messages are automatically moved is controlled by WhatsApp and cannot be customised by users during the test.
Making Personal Chats Easier to Find
According to WhatsApp, the goal of the feature is to reduce the number of promotional offers, delivery updates, and other business notifications appearing alongside personal and group conversations.
By organising these communications into a dedicated folder, users can focus on personal chats while still having easy access to important updates from businesses whenever needed.
For businesses, the feature could also improve message visibility by giving customers a dedicated place to find order confirmations, account notifications, booking updates, and promotional offers.
Initial Rollout Limited to Large Businesses
The current test is available only to selected partners using the WhatsApp Business Platform.
At this stage, small businesses and individual accounts using WhatsApp Business are not included. WhatsApp said it may explore expanding the feature to smaller businesses in the future based on testing results and user feedback.
Part of WhatsApp’s Ongoing Anti-Spam Efforts
These WhatsApp updates build on several measures introduced over the past few years to reduce unwanted business communications.
Previous improvements include:
- Allowing users to unsubscribe from marketing messages in 2024.
- Limiting the number of broadcast messages that businesses and individuals can send within a certain period.
- Restricting the number of business messages companies can send without receiving a response from users, a feature introduced in 2025 that is still being refined.
According to WhatsApp, the first two measures have already been fully rolled out, while work continues on improving the third.
Growing Business and AI Integration
The latest WhatsApp updates arrive as the platform continues to expand its business tools.
Meta launched WhatsApp AI business agents globally in June, with more than one million businesses already using them. During the earnings call, Zuckerberg highlighted Brazilian car rental company Movida, which reported improvements in customer support efficiency and conversions after adopting AI-powered business agents.
As more businesses integrate AI into customer service, marketing, and sales, WhatsApp is expected to continue introducing features that balance commercial communication with the personal messaging experience users expect.
Key Highlights
| Features | Details |
| Feature | Offers & Updates Folder |
| Purpose | Organise business messages separately from personal chats |
| Eligible Accounts | Large businesses using WhatsApp Business Platform |
| Auto Move Timing | Up to 24 hours after receiving messages |
| User Control | Feature can be turned off, but automatic timing cannot be customised |
| Small Businesses | Not included in the initial rollout |
| AI Business Adoption | Over 1 million businesses using WhatsApp AI agents |
| Revenue Context | Meta’s Family of Apps “other revenue” exceeded $1 billion, largely driven by WhatsApp paid messaging and subscriptions |
Why This Matters
As business communication on WhatsApp continues to grow, users are receiving more promotional messages, transaction alerts, and service notifications alongside personal conversations. These WhatsApp updates aim to create a better balance by reducing inbox clutter while keeping important business messages accessible in a separate folder.
The feature also supports WhatsApp’s broader strategy of expanding business messaging without negatively affecting the personal user experience.
Conclusion
The latest WhatsApp updates demonstrate Meta’s continued efforts to improve the messaging experience as business communication grows on the platform. By introducing a dedicated folder for messages from larger businesses, WhatsApp hopes to make personal chats easier to manage while ensuring customers can still access important business updates when needed. Alongside its ongoing anti-spam initiatives and expanding AI-powered business tools, the new feature reflects WhatsApp’s focus on maintaining a balance between personal messaging and commercial communication.