WhatsApp has announced a significant update that allows users to designate specific contacts as favourites. This new feature enables users to keep their most frequently contacted individuals easily accessible at the top of their Chats and Calls screens, according to a statement released on Tuesday. The favourites feature will also function as a filter within the app, enhancing user experience after the recent introduction of Context Cards aimed at improving security in various chat scenarios.
Favourites on WhatsApp
In an official blog post, the company detailed how this update will facilitate better chat organization by allowing users to categorize their most-used contacts under a dedicated favourites filter. This new feature will sit alongside the existing All, Unread, and Groups filters on the WhatsApp platform.
it’s okay to play favorites 😏
easily find the people you talk to most at the top of your calls tab and filter for them in chats by adding them to your Favorites pic.twitter.com/EAUh05IkQp
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) July 16, 2024
Additionally, users will be able to mark contacts as favourites in the Calls tab. To utilize this new functionality, users can follow these simple steps:
- Launch WhatsApp and navigate to the favourites filter in the Chats tab.
- Select the contacts or groups they wish to designate as favourites. Tapping the filter will display only the selected contacts.
- To add contacts as favourites in the Calls tab, click on the ‘Add favourites’ option and choose the appropriate contacts.
- For managing favourites, go to Settings > Favorites > Add to Favorites, where users can adjust or reorder their favourite contacts.
WhatsApp indicated that this feature will begin rolling out to users immediately and is expected to be widely available in the upcoming weeks. However, reports from Gadgets 360 suggest that the feature’s availability on both Android and iOS platforms could be gradual, with users possibly receiving the update in different phases.
Under Development Features
In addition to the new favourites feature, WhatsApp is reportedly testing several other functionalities, including a live translation feature for chats, transcription capabilities for voice messages, and a specialized mode for video notes within the camera user interface. These features remain in development and may only be accessible to users participating in the Google Play Beta program.
