WhatsApp may soon move business messages to separate ‘Offers & Updates’ folder

Washington [US], August 1 (ANI): WhatsApp is testing a new feature designed to help users keep their main chat list organised by automatically moving messages from large businesses into a dedicated “Offers & Updates” folder after a set period of time.
According to a new report by GSM Arena, the messaging platform is addressing a common issue faced by users who receive multiple conversation threads from large businesses such as banks and airlines.
According to GSM Arena, these chats can quickly crowd the main inbox, making it harder to keep track of personal conversations.
The feature under testing will automatically move messages from large businesses into the new “Offers & Updates” folder after a predefined number of hours has passed since the messages were received.
WhatsApp is reportedly testing different durations for the feature, with time limits of up to 24 hours.
Users who do not want the feature will have the option to disable it through the app’s settings. However, the report notes that users will not be able to choose their own preferred duration. Instead, they will either have to use the timing decided by Meta or turn the feature off completely.
The primary goal of the new folder is to keep promotional content, such as discount codes, along with delivery updates, out of the main chat list, creating a cleaner messaging experience.
For now, the feature applies only to messages from large businesses. Small businesses and personal accounts are currently exempt.
As per GSM Arena, the report adds that WhatsApp will explore extending the same functionality to messages from small businesses in the future.
The feature remains under testing, and there is no information yet on when it could be rolled out more widely. (ANI)