WhatsApp's new "To You" filter puts mentions and replies in one place

WhatsApp is developing an Android chat-list filter called "To You" that pulls together conversations where someone mentioned you or replied directly to one of your messages. The feature is aimed at people juggling busy group and community threads, giving them one place to revisit the chats that specifically need their attention. It is still under development and is not yet available to beta testers.

"To You" pulls mentions and replies into a single Android filter

The core change is straightforward: instead of sorting chats by a fixed type, "To You" is built around whether a conversation contains direct attention on your messages. That means the filter can surface relevant chats across categories, including group or community conversations, when someone tags you or quotes one of your messages in a reply. For people who run operations, support, sales, or team coordination inside WhatsApp, that is the practical shift: less scrolling through active threads to find the places where you were actually pulled into the conversation.

This also gives WhatsApp a more task-oriented view of the chat list. Existing filters mainly organize chats by category, but "To You" is designed to highlight conversations based on interaction. In practice, that makes it closer to a catch-up queue than a simple folder, especially in threads where dozens of newer messages can bury the one reply that matters.

Built on WhatsApp's new chat-filter controls

"To You" also fits into WhatsApp's broader Android redesign for chat filters. The app already supports moving less-used filters into a separate "More" section rather than keeping every filter pinned across the top of the main Chats screen. Under that same setup, the new filter would be optional: users could leave it in the main chat list for quick access or move it into "More" if they want a cleaner top bar.

That matters because WhatsApp has already been giving Android users more control over what sits at the top of Chats. The newer filter controls also let users remove Favorites from the main chat list, which points to a more customizable layout overall. "To You" extends that approach with a filter that is less about chat ownership or relationship and more about whether a conversation contains something you likely need to answer.

A catch-up layer, not a replacement for alerts

WhatsApp already sends notifications for mentions and direct replies, so "To You" would not replace the existing alert flow. Its role is different: it gives users a persistent view they can return to later, after notifications have been dismissed or when a busy workday makes it easy to lose track of which thread needs a response.

That is the main reader-facing benefit. In active group or community chats, an important reply can disappear under a pile of newer messages even if the original notification was seen hours earlier. A dedicated filter for mentions and quoted replies would make it easier to reopen the Chats tab and quickly find the threads where someone explicitly called on you.

Android-only for now, with rollout still open

For now, the confirmed scope stops at Android. Availability on iPhone, desktop, or web has not been established, and WhatsApp has not given a public release date. The company also has not opened the feature to beta testers yet, so this remains a development-stage addition rather than something users can turn on today.

There are still a few practical details missing as well. It is not yet clear exactly where the filter will appear within the updated Chats layout beyond the choice between the main list and the "More" section, and support for channels, broadcasts, archived chats, or other special chat types remains unclear. For teams that rely on WhatsApp all day, the useful takeaway is narrower: WhatsApp is building a dedicated Android catch-up view for mentions and replies, but the timeline and full scope are still open.

Disclaimer: This article was created with the assistance of AI. Images are for illustrative purposes only.