WhatsApp is testing a new system that could automatically separate messages from major companies from personal conversations. The proposed WhatsApp business folder is designed to reduce inbox clutter as banks, airlines, retailers and other organizations increasingly use the platform to contact customers.
Under the test, certain business conversations will move from the main chat list into a separate section called “Offers & Updates.” The folder will contain communications such as promotional offers, discount codes, delivery notifications and service alerts.
WhatsApp hopes the change will make it easier for users to find conversations with friends, relatives and groups without scrolling through a growing number of commercial messages.
How the WhatsApp business folder works
When a user receives a message from a large business, the conversation will initially appear in the main chat timeline.
After a set period, WhatsApp will automatically transfer the message to the Offers & Updates folder. Meta is reportedly testing several time limits, with messages potentially remaining in the main inbox for up to 24 hours before being moved.
Users will be able to disable the feature if they want all business messages to remain in their regular chat list.
However, people taking part in the test will not be able to select the exact time at which a message is transferred. That decision will be controlled by WhatsApp’s automated system.
The company believes this approach will give important business notifications some visibility while preventing older promotional and transactional messages from dominating the main inbox.
Large companies included in early testing
The WhatsApp business folder is initially being tested with selected organizations using the WhatsApp Business Platform.
This service is typically used by larger companies to manage high volumes of customer communication. Banks, airlines, online retailers and delivery services are among the types of businesses that could eventually use the new system.
Messages from personal accounts and smaller companies using the standard WhatsApp Business app are not currently included in the test.
WhatsApp may consider expanding the feature to smaller businesses in the future. Any wider launch will likely depend on feedback from users and participating companies during the initial testing period.
Why WhatsApp inboxes are becoming crowded
WhatsApp was originally built as a personal messaging platform, but it has gradually become an important communication channel for companies.
Businesses now use the service to send receipts, payment confirmations, appointment reminders, marketing campaigns, order updates and customer support responses.
While many of these messages are useful, the increased volume can make personal conversations harder to locate.
A user may receive updates from several businesses during the day, even when they have not actively started a conversation with those companies. This can leave the main chat timeline filled with commercial notifications.
The problem may become more noticeable as WhatsApp expands its business tools and encourages more companies to use the platform for sales and customer support.
WhatsApp business folder could benefit companies
The new folder is not only intended to help users. It could also give businesses a dedicated place where customers know they can find offers and service notifications.
Important company messages can quickly disappear beneath active personal chats and busy group conversations. Placing them in a separate location may make it easier for users to return to a delivery update, flight notification or discount code later.
However, the success of the feature will depend on how clearly WhatsApp explains the folder and whether users regularly check it.
There is also a risk that people could miss time-sensitive information after a conversation is automatically moved. For example, a banking notification or travel update may require faster attention than a promotional message.
WhatsApp may therefore need to distinguish between urgent service messages and less important marketing content.
Meta expands WhatsApp revenue
The test comes as WhatsApp becomes an increasingly important source of revenue for Meta.
During Meta’s second-quarter 2026 earnings call, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said other revenue within the company’s family of apps had exceeded $1 billion. Growth was largely supported by WhatsApp paid messaging and subscriptions.
Businesses pay to use some WhatsApp communication services, particularly when sending messages through the WhatsApp Business Platform.
As more companies adopt these tools, Meta must balance commercial growth with the need to keep the app useful and comfortable for its more than 3 billion users.
Allowing business communication to overwhelm personal conversations could weaken the user experience, even when those messages generate valuable revenue.
WhatsApp has already introduced spam controls
WhatsApp has taken several steps in recent years to limit unwanted business messages.
In 2024, it introduced an option allowing users to unsubscribe from marketing communications sent by brands.
The company later restricted the number of broadcast messages that businesses and individuals could send within a certain period.
In October 2025, WhatsApp began testing limits on how many messages companies could send to users who had not responded. That measure was designed to discourage businesses from repeatedly contacting people who showed no interest in the conversation.
The unsubscribe option and broadcast restrictions have been widely introduced, while WhatsApp continues to refine its limits on unanswered business messages.
Despite these controls, commercial communication remains a major source of inbox clutter for many users.
AI agents could increase business messaging
The need for the WhatsApp business folder may grow as companies begin using artificial intelligence to communicate with customers.
WhatsApp made its AI-powered business agents available globally in June 2026. More than 1 million companies were already using them by the end of July.
These agents can answer customer questions, recommend products, provide support and guide users through purchases without requiring a human employee to manage every conversation.
Zuckerberg highlighted Brazilian car rental company Movida as one business using AI agents on WhatsApp. Meta said the company had recorded improvements in customer support and sales conversions.
AI could help businesses respond more quickly and offer round-the-clock service. However, automation may also make it easier for companies to produce and send far more messages.
Without effective limits and filtering tools, users could face an even larger volume of automated sales, marketing and support conversations.
Users may need stronger controls
Moving messages into a separate folder could make the main chat timeline cleaner, but the feature may not fully solve the problem.
Users may want greater control over which businesses are filtered, how quickly messages are moved and which types of communication remain in the primary inbox.
A person may want airline alerts and banking notifications to stay visible while automatically moving retail promotions into the Offers & Updates folder.
WhatsApp has not indicated whether this level of customization will be included.
More detailed controls could make the feature more useful and reduce the risk of important information being hidden alongside advertising.
WhatsApp faces a difficult balancing act
WhatsApp must protect its identity as a personal communication service while also developing tools that generate business revenue.
The WhatsApp business folder represents one attempt to manage those competing priorities. It could create a cleaner experience for users while giving companies a recognizable location for their messages.
The feature remains in limited testing, and WhatsApp has not announced when it may become widely available.
Its effectiveness will ultimately depend on whether it genuinely reduces clutter without causing users to overlook important updates. As business messaging and AI-powered communication continue to expand, providing users with meaningful control will be essential.
