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WhatsApp Beta for Android Gets Dedicated Contacts Tab With New Features: Report

WhatsApp Beta for Android Gets Dedicated Contacts Tab With New Features: Report

The feature is currently reaching beta testers through the Google Play programme, with no confirmed date for a stable release yet.

Written by Sucharita Ganguly, Edited by Rohan Pal | Updated: 9 November 2026 16:53 IST

WhatsApp Beta for Android Gets Dedicated Contacts Tab With New Features: Report

Photo Credit: Google Play

The list can be sorted by name, birthday or activity

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Highlights

The tab replaces Communities in the bottom navigation bar
Users can keep their favourite contacts at the top
The new section includes a shortcut to Meta AI

WhatsApp is reportedly rolling out a new Contacts tab for its Android app, giving some beta testers a dedicated section to find and manage people they can message. The feature replaces the Communities tab in the bottom navigation bar and is said to include options to organise and sort saved contacts. The rollout is expected to expand to more beta users over the coming weeks, although WhatsApp has yet to announce when the feature will reach all users.

WhatsApp Contacts Tab on Android: Features, Availability

WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.45.2 is getting a new Contacts tab, according to WABetaInfo. The company is reportedly replacing the Communities tab in the bottom navigation bar with a new Contacts section for some beta testers. The tab is expected to let users browse their saved contacts and start conversations directly, without having to switch to the Chats screen.

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The Contacts section is said to show Favourites at the top, followed by the rest of the saved contacts. Users may be able to sort the list alphabetically, by birthdays or by activity. The activity filter reportedly places online contacts first and marks them with a green dot. Other entries are arranged by last seen information, depending on each user's privacy settings.

WhatsApp for Android Said to Get Preview Chats Feature

The report also mentions a Meta AI shortcut in the new tab. Users may get options to share WhatsApp invite links and invite their Instagram followers to chat on the platform. A button at the bottom is said to let users add contacts using a name, username or phone number, with an option to save phone-number-based contacts to the device's address book.

WhatsApp's New Feature Suggests Recently Saved Media When Users Open a Chat

WABetaInfo says the feature is rolling out through the Google Play beta programme to users running WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.45.2. The rollout is limited for now, and it is unclear when the new tab will reach the stable Android app.

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Further reading: WhatsApp, WhatsApp Android, WhatsApp Beta, WhatsApp Features, WhatsApp Contacts Tab, Meta AI

Sucharita Ganguly

Email Sucharita Ganguly

Sucharita is a writer with Gadgets 360 and is mostly found playing with her cat in her free time. She has previously worked at breaking news desks across organizations. Powered by coffee, The Beatles, Bowie, and her newfound love for BTS, she aims to work towards contributing to a better media environment for women and queer folk. More