WhatsApp is testing a new folder that automatically moves messages from large businesses to a separate area after a few hours [1].
This shift reflects the growing role of the platform as a hub for corporate customer service. As more large companies migrate their communication to the app, users have faced increasingly crowded chat lists that mix personal conversations with commercial updates.
The new feature, announced July 31, 2026 [2], aims to organize these interactions without removing them entirely from the user's reach. According to reports, messages from large businesses will remain in the main inbox for a short period before the system shifts them into the designated folder [1].
This organizational tool is designed to declutter the primary interface, ensuring that personal messages remain prominent while business updates are archived in a dedicated space [3]. The testing phase is currently ongoing as the company evaluates how users interact with the automated sorting mechanism [2].
WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms, has not said which specific criteria define a "large business" for the purpose of this folder [1]. However, the move suggests a strategic effort to balance the app's utility as a business tool with its primary function as a private messaging service [4].
Users globally may see this update in their mobile apps as the pilot expands. The folder is intended to put business messages in their own place, preventing them from burying time-sensitive personal chats [5].
“WhatsApp is testing a new folder that automatically moves messages from large businesses.”
The introduction of automated business folders indicates that WhatsApp is transitioning from a simple peer-to-peer messenger into a complex ecosystem for commerce. By separating commercial traffic from personal chats, Meta is attempting to prevent 'notification fatigue' and user churn, ensuring that the platform remains viable for personal use even as it aggressively monetizes business API integrations.
