WhatsApp is testing a Contacts tab in its Android beta that takes over the Communities tab’s spot for some testers. Communities are not going away. They move to a filter in the chat list, which WABetaInfo says makes the bottom tab redundant.
What the WhatsApp Contacts tab shows
Favorites sit at the top of the tab, followed by your full contact list. You can sort that list three ways:
- Activity: online contacts first with a green dot, then everyone else by last seen.
- Alphabetical: contacts listed A to Z.
- Birthdays: contacts ordered by birthday.
A floating button lets you add a contact with a first name, last name, username and phone number. Only contacts with a phone number can sync to your phone’s address book. The bottom of the tab also carries a Meta AI shortcut, invite links and an option to invite Instagram followers.
The username field fits WhatsApp’s wider work on usernames. WABetaInfo reported username and phone number privacy testing on Nov 7.
Privacy: what the Activity sort reveals
Sorting by activity relies on online and last-seen status. The tab only shows that information when a contact already shares it under their own privacy settings. If you’d rather keep your status hidden, check Settings > Privacy > Last seen and online.
Who gets the Contacts tab, and when
WABetaInfo found the tab in WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.45.x, citing builds 2.26.45.1 and 2.26.45.2. It is reaching some testers in the Google Play beta program. A wider rollout should follow over the coming weeks.
The layout may vary by account. On some configurations, the new tab replaces the Updates or Meta AI tab instead of Communities.
As of Nov 9, WhatsApp has not announced when the tab will reach the stable app. Beta features can change or never ship, so treat this as a test. Testers can sign up through the WhatsApp beta program on Google Play.
For a feature that has already shipped, see how WhatsApp’s message text actions work.
Source: WABetaInfo
