WhatsApp has recently launched a new feature related to archived chats, allowing people to keep archived conversations in a separate list permanently. This means that unless you manually unarchive them, all conversations you choose to archive will remain hidden forever. In simple terms, archived chats will no longer clutter your inbox. WhatsApp has begun testing this new feature to allow users to keep archived chats in the archive section even when receiving a new message, here is how to enable it in simple steps.
Previously, archived chats in WhatsApp would be pushed out of the archive section (to the inbox) when new WhatsApp messages arrived. This was annoying as it contradicted the purpose of archiving the chat. But now, this will not be the case when you receive a new notification for an archived contact. This update was initially available to some iPhone users a few weeks ago and is now being rolled out to Android users. In this article, we will explain how this feature works with steps to enable the “Keep chats archived permanently” feature in WhatsApp.
New Archived Messages Feature on WhatsApp
To access this feature, ensure you have the latest version of the WhatsApp application on your smartphone. Then tap and hold the conversation you want to archive> then press the icon with a “box with an arrow” at the top> now open the “Archived Chats” section> then, click on the menu icon (≡) in the top corner, and choose the “Archive settings” option> Here, you will see a new option “Keep chats archived”. Turn it on, and that’s it! Interestingly, WhatsApp now keeps the archived chats section at the top of the home page when you enable this option.
You may be interested in: Utilizing the one-time view feature for photos and videos in WhatsApp
If you’re wondering how to know if someone in the archived chat has sent you a text message; WhatsApp has also added a well-thought-out new unread chat indicator that tracks unread chats. This indicates the total number of unread chats, not necessarily new unread messages from the same person.
In other words, WhatsApp will display a “1” indicator next to the archived chats section even if the same person sends multiple messages. Although the feature seems useful, it may not be attractive to everyone. If you’re a user who doesn’t want to use the new feature, you can revert to executing the original archived folder setting through the app settings by disabling the toggle switch next to this feature option.
Lastly, keep in mind that this is a gradual rollout and this feature may not necessarily be available in the app on your phone even if you’re using the latest version. But since WhatsApp has started testing the feature with beta users, it won’t be long before it is rolled out to all users.
