WhatsApp is testing WhatsApp Meta AI chats that live as separate conversations in your main chat list, each with its own name and photo. Instead of one long Meta AI thread where everything blurs together, you can keep a travel chat, a work chat and a recipe chat apart. Right now it’s only in the Android beta, and only some testers have it.
The details come from WABetaInfo, which spotted the change in WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.44.6.
Quick Facts
- Available in WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.44.6 through the Google Play beta program.
- Rolling out gradually to some testers, with wider access expected over the coming weeks.
- You can name each chat and set a custom profile photo.
- No official release date for everyone has been announced.
In short: if you’re not in the beta, you can’t get this yet, and there’s nothing to install or toggle.
How the new WhatsApp Meta AI chats work
You start from inside an existing Meta AI conversation. Open the overflow menu, pick the new option to create a separate chat, and a bottom sheet asks you to name it. You can add a profile photo too, though that’s optional.
The new chat then shows up in your main list like any other contact. A small chatbot logo sits over its profile icon, so you can tell it apart from a chat with a friend at a glance.
According to WABetaInfo, this replaces the earlier thread system. Threads needed you to open Meta AI and switch between them from a menu, which was easy to forget about.
What changes compared with threads
Here’s the difference side by side.
| Old thread system | New separate chats | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you find it | Inside one Meta AI conversation, via the overflow menu | Right in your main chat list |
| Naming | Auto-generated titles (renamable) | You name the chat and can add a photo |
| Finding them | Scroll through thread history | Use the new AI filter in the Chats tab |
| Context | Each thread keeps its own context | Each chat keeps its own context |
The practical win is findability. A chat called “Japan trip” sitting in your list is much quicker to reopen than a thread buried in a menu.
The new AI filter
WhatsApp is also adding an AI filter to the Chats tab. Tap it and you only see your Meta AI chats, which helps when your list is full of family groups and work threads.
The filter is optional. It can be moved to a separate section if you’d rather keep the main list clean.
Privacy: what you should know
Each chat keeps its own context, so what you tell Meta AI in one doesn’t automatically carry into another. That’s a handy way to keep personal questions away from work ones.
You can delete any Meta AI chat whenever you want. The report doesn’t explain how these chats are processed or stored, so treat them as you would any Meta AI conversation and skip sensitive details.
Earlier beta builds were different. PhoneWorld reported in February that threads shared memory by default, with an option to turn it off. Check your settings if you’re unsure.
If you like trying Meta AI features, our look at WhatsApp’s photo expansion tool shows what else it can do. And if you run big groups, see the recent group chat updates.
Ways to use separate chats
Once you can split things up, a few habits make sense.
- One chat per project, such as a trip plan, a job search or a school assignment.
- A “scratchpad” chat for quick questions you don’t need to keep.
- A work-only chat, so personal prompts never mix with it.
Why bother? Context is what makes an assistant useful. When a chat only holds one topic, the answers tend to stay on that topic.
It also helps with cleanup. Finished with the trip? Delete that one chat and leave the rest alone.
What to watch for next
Beta features sometimes change before release, or never ship. WhatsApp could tweak the menu, the filter or the naming flow, so don’t be surprised if the final version looks a little different.
Keep an eye on the Play Store for beta updates, and on WABetaInfo for the next build. If it reaches iPhone, that will likely be reported there first.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get separate Meta AI chats on WhatsApp?
You need the Android beta (2.26.44.6) and a spot in the rollout. Even some beta testers don’t have it yet, so it may take a few weeks to appear.
Is this on iPhone?
The report only covers Android beta. There’s no word on iOS yet.
Can I delete a Meta AI chat?
Yes. You can delete any of these chats at any time.
When will everyone get it?
WhatsApp hasn’t said. Wider access is expected over the coming weeks, but that isn’t a promise of a stable release date.
Our take
This is a small change that fixes a real annoyance. If you already use Meta AI for more than the occasional question, named chats will keep things tidy. If you don’t use it at all, you can ignore the whole thing, and the optional filter means your chat list won’t get cluttered.
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