WhatsApp has begun testing a new feature designed to create an exclusive section for communications from large corporations, such as airlines and banks. This implementation aims to reduce the amount of commercial interactions in users' main inbox, given the growing use of the platform by companies to contact consumers.
According to information obtained by TechCrunch, Meta plans that after a certain period, any message received from a large company will be automatically transferred to a new folder called "Offers & Updates".
The company is evaluating various timeframes for this automatic movement, which can be up to twenty-four hours after receiving the notification. Users retain the option to disable this feature in settings if they prefer these conversations to remain in the main flow. However, there will be no possibility of manually adjusting the migration time to the new folder.
Meta explains that this functionality will allow promotional content, such as discount coupons, delivery notifications, and other commercial alerts, to leave the main inbox a few hours after being sent, resulting in a less cluttered list of personal and group conversations. For businesses, the change ensures that their messages are located in a specific space, preventing them from getting mixed with the rest of the conversations.
Testing starts with large companies
WhatsApp announced that it has started testing this tool with specific partners who use the WhatsApp Business Platform. The company's intention is to expand the availability of the feature after analyzing the results achieved in this initial phase. Currently, small businesses and individual accounts using WhatsApp Business will not be affected by this novelty. Nevertheless, Meta reserved the right to consider including messages sent by small businesses in the "Offers & Updates" folder in the future.
In recent years, WhatsApp has implemented several modifications aimed at mitigating the excessive volume of commercial messages directed at users. In 2024, the platform allowed individuals to unsubscribe from marketing communications sent by brands. In the following year, there was a limitation on the number of mass messages that both companies and users could send within a defined period. In October 2025, the company advanced by restricting the number of messages companies can send without receiving any response from recipients. According to WhatsApp, the first two measures have already been implemented globally, while the third is still being refined.
AI drives WhatsApp's commercial use
During Meta's financial results presentation for the second quarter of 2026, CEO Mark Zuckerberg declared that revenue from the "other" category within the app portfolio exceeded US$1 billion (equivalent to R$5 billion). This growth was mainly driven by paid subscriptions and messages on WhatsApp.
In June of this year, the company made its artificial intelligence (AI) agents globally accessible for business use. Meta reported that over one million businesses are already using these resources. During the earnings call, Zuckerberg mentioned the Brazilian rental company Movida as an example of technology application, highlighting that the company observed an increase in customer conversions and improvements in customer service with the help of AI agents. There is an expectation that in the coming months, an even greater number of companies will incorporate AI into WhatsApp for customer support, marketing, and sales purposes.