iPhone – WhatsApp is planning another change on iPhone and Android

WhatsApp is looking to shake up its Archived Chats feature – and it’s about time. The Facebook-owned messaging platform has long had the ability to archive one-on-one conversations and group chats that you’re no longer interested in, but don’t want to delete. However, Archived Chats, which is currently only accessible when you pull down from the top of the main Chats tab, is easily forgotten.

Thankfully, that looks set to change.

Uncovered by the team at WABetaInfo, which trawl through the latest beta builds of WhatsApp to reveal details about upcoming changes to the app, WhatsApp looks set to bring Archived Chats into its own tab. This will presumably sit alongside the Status, Calls, Camera, Chats and Settings tabs that currently run along the bottom of the smartphone app.

Archived Chats will house any conversations that you’re finished with… but could return to one day. It helps to keep the main Chats tab uncluttered. WhatsApp is now used by a number of brands to help customers send messages with customer care representatives.

If you’ve had a complaint about an online order, discussed it within WhatsApp with the company and are waiting for a refund, you probably don’t want that hanging around at the top of your Chats list. But equally, it might not be the smartest move to delete the conversation history before the refund has dropped into your account.

Archived Chats will be the perfect place for these types of conversations. Hen Do and other event-specific groups could also find a new home there. And unlike at the moment, when new messages in any of these chats will cause them to spring out of the Archived Chats menu and back into the main Chats tab – they will now stay put. Yes, WABetaInfo reports that WhatsApp is looking to add a setting to keep your archived conversations archived for good.

All WhatsApp users need to do is head to Settings > Chats and then choose Keep Chats Archived to make sure these conversations stay in their dedicated tab.

Another tweak to Archived Chats to make them more useful, the new tab will include an Edit button. Like the main Chats tab, tapping this will let you manage multiple conversations at once, including deleting or marking as read.

WhatsApp has a bucketload of new features up its sleeve for this year, including the new Archived Chats feature currently in testing, as well as Disappearing Mode – that will allow users to set a self-destruct timer on their text messages, and cross-platform support so users can switch between an iPad, laptop, or a work and personal smartphone with their conversation history synced across all devices.