In a move that’s sure to delight serial chat-ignorers everywhere, WhatsApp has rolled out a new feature that lets users prioritize their favorite contacts and groups. Because let’s face it, not all conversations are created equal.
WhatsApp, on July 16, announced users will be able to add their most frequent chats to a new “Favorites” tab. This means you can now easily access your mom’s daily check-ins, your bestie’s meme dumps, and that one group chat that never seems to sleep – all without scrolling through a sea of “Hi, how are you?” messages from distant acquaintances.
But wait, there’s more! This feature isn’t just for text chats. It’s also available in the calls tab, essentially giving users a speed dial option. So now you can “accidentally” miss calls from your chatty aunt while making sure you never miss a ring from your best friend who’s always up for a last-minute hangout.
Adding contacts to your favorites list is as simple as selecting the “Favorites” filter from the chats screen, or tapping “Add favorite” after selecting a contact or group from the calls tab. You can also long-press on a chat and select “Add to favorite” if you’re feeling particularly fond of someone mid-conversation.
For the indecisive among us, don’t worry – you can rearrange your favorites list at any time. It’s like having a friendship leaderboard, but without the hurt feelings (hopefully).
This update is a significant improvement over WhatsApp’s current system, which only allows users to pin three chats to the top of their list. Now, you can add as many favorites as you like, because who says you can’t have more than three important people in your life?
The feature is rolling out gradually to iOS and Android users over the coming weeks. If you don’t see it right away, don’t panic. I also installed the latest WhatsApp update on an iOS device and an Android device but didn’t see the “Favorites” feature show up. So we’ll just have to wait for an update or two to get to check out this useful new addition to the app.