How to Create and Customize Chat Lists in WhatsApp

In April 2024, we published a quick tip on how to filter chats on WhatsApp. Since then, this feature has been extended to include “Favorites” and user-created custom lists with settings to manage filters.

What are Custom Lists?

Custom chat lists or filters are user-created lists that include specified chats, whether private or group chats. When a custom list is chosen as the chat filter, only chats included in the list are displayed, with an option to manage the list.

Creating a New List

There are several ways to create a new list.

1. From chat filters: After revealing the chat filters by swiping down with two fingers in the Chats tab (for screen reader users), the “Add New List” option appears. Tapping this opens the list creation window. The name edit box is focused, and the keyboard should appear automatically. In this window, the “Add People or Groups” button allows selecting from a list containing frequently contacted people, contacts who are on WhatsApp, and group chats. Double-tapping any name selects it; TalkBack announces the selection, while Jieshuo does not. However, with both screen readers, navigating to an item indicates when it is selected. Search for specific names using the search function, and tap “Done” to finish adding people. Once created, the list is automatically set as the chat filter.
2. From settings: Navigate to Settings > Lists, Manage People and Groups, and tap “New List,” which reveals the same creation window mentioned above.
3. By long-pressing a chat: After long-pressing a chat, tap the More Options. In this menu, select “Add to List,” where you can create a new list or add the chat to an existing list.

Editing and Deleting Lists

Editing or deleting lists, like creating them, can be done through several methods.

1. After selecting a list as the chat filter: The “Manage” option followed by the list’s name appears after the available chats. This screen provides options to delete the list, edit the list, or add more people. To remove a name, activate the edit function, which presents an interface similar to the creation window but includes a “Delete Contact” button next to each name. This action only removes the name from the list without deleting the chat or contact.
2. By long-pressing a custom list name: When selecting a chat filter, long-pressing any custom list displays the same management screen.
3. From the lists section in settings: In the Lists section of WhatsApp settings, all custom lists are displayed. Tapping any list opens the management screen, while selecting “Edit List” allows viewing all lists with options to delete each one via an unlabeled button. If your screen reader is configured to read element IDs, it will identify the button’s function.
4. By long-pressing a chat: After activating the More Options menu for a chat, selecting “Add to List” shows the available lists. Choosing a list that the chat is already included in removes the chat from the list. After long-pressing one chat, additional chats can be selected by double-tapping them.

Other Presets

WhatsApp offers preset filters for Unread, Group Chats, and Favorites. Unread and Group Chats are automatic presets that cannot be edited. To hide these presets, long-press and tap delete or hide them via Settings > Lists. To unhide them, select them from the available presets in the same settings section.

Favorites cannot be removed from the filters list. If Favorites is selected as the chat filter without any added contacts, an “Add People or Groups” item appears. Adding contacts to Favorites follows the same process outlined earlier. Editing Favorites is similar to editing custom lists, with the exception that the filter itself cannot be deleted. Additionally, favorites can be added directly from the Calls tab.

Notes

Note 1: Although it is possible to arrange the order of lists in the filters, I couldn’t find an accessible way to sort them.

Note 2: Lists currently serve only the purpose of filtering. There is no option to apply specific settings to the chats within a list, such as assigning a notification tone or ringtone.

Audio Demonstration