A notification pings when someone tags you in a group chat, but after you open WhatsApp, finding that message can mean scrolling through dozens of other texts. WhatsApp is testing a fix: a mentions and replies filter spotted in Android beta version 2.26.42.12, according to WABetaInfo's Oct. 24 report.
The filter narrows the Chats tab to group conversations where someone mentioned you or replied directly to one of your messages. It remains accessible even after notifications are cleared, so you can return to those conversations without searching through the full chat list. Reported testing covers both regular groups and Community subgroups.
This is a limited rollout to some Android beta testers, not a confirmed public release. Nothing in the current reporting suggests the filter determines whether a message actually needs a response. Here's how it works, what's still unknown, and where to check if the feature is already available on your phone.
How the WhatsApp mentions and replies filter works
The filter sits at the top of the Chats tab, alongside existing options such as Unread, Favorites, and Groups, according to WABetaInfo. Tap it, and the list narrows to group chats where someone mentioned you or replied to something you wrote.
A badge shows a count of pending interactions, although the reporting doesn't establish whether that number represents individual messages or conversations containing mentions and replies. Until WhatsApp clarifies how it's calculated, treat the badge as an indicator rather than a precise message count.
When nothing qualifies for the filter, WhatsApp displays an empty screen with a link back to the full chat list.
The filter also covers Communities. If someone mentions or replies to you inside a subgroup belonging to a Community, that conversation appears in the filtered list.
That matters for anyone managing a busy Community, where mentions inside individual subgroups can get lost among other conversations.
The feature isn't entirely new to WhatsApp's development process. It previously appeared under the working name "To You" in Android beta version 2.26.34.4, which WABetaInfo documented on Aug. 29.
At that stage, the filter was still under development and unavailable to beta testers. The newer build makes it accessible to some testers under the Mentions and replies label.
What's confirmed, and what's still unknown
Reporting on the beta test establishes a narrow set of features. It's worth separating those from the remaining questions before expecting too much from the filter.
Confirmed by WABetaInfo:
The filter appears at the top of the Chats tab alongside existing chat filters.
It displays group conversations containing mentions or replies directed at you.
It covers regular groups and Community subgroups.
It remains accessible after notifications are cleared.
It can be disabled or moved into the app's More section.
Several details remain unclear:
Whether one-on-one conversations are included, since the confirmed behavior focuses on groups and Communities.
What removes a conversation from the filtered list: opening the chat, reading the relevant message, or another action.
Whether older mentions eventually disappear from the list.
Whether the badge counts conversations or individual mentions and replies.
These details determine how useful the filter will be for tracking messages that still need attention.
For now, the confirmed functionality is straightforward: it provides a dedicated way to find group conversations where someone directly interacted with you.
What the WhatsApp reply filter doesn't do
The filter appears to identify messages based on their structure, specifically whether someone used an @mention or replied to one of your messages.
Nothing in the current reporting indicates that it evaluates urgency, tone, or whether you've already answered. It's a conversation filter, not a system that determines which messages require a response.
A more specialized tool already exists for a different audience.
In July 2025, WABetaInfo described an AI-handoff filter for WhatsApp Business beta testers. That feature identifies customer conversations where AI-powered automated replies couldn't fully resolve a question.
The Business filter is designed for accounts using AI-powered customer responses, and businesses can control how long flagged conversations remain listed.
That behavior doesn't apply to the consumer mentions-and-replies filter.
Anyone expecting the new Android feature to decide which messages genuinely need an answer should wait for evidence that it does more than identify mentions and direct replies.
Who can access the WhatsApp Android beta filter now
Access is currently limited to some Android beta testers using WhatsApp beta version 2.26.42.12 through the Google Play Store.
WABetaInfo describes the release as a gradual rollout, meaning installing that exact version doesn't guarantee the filter will appear.
When available, it shows up in the Chats tab automatically. Testers can disable it or move it into the More section if they prefer a less crowded filter row.
WhatsApp has offered chat-list filters for several years. In April 2024, it introduced All, Unread, and Groups filters to help users organize conversations, as TechCrunch reported.
The Groups filter also included Community subgroups, but it organized conversations by type rather than highlighting messages directed at a particular user.
The new mentions-and-replies filter builds on that system by identifying conversations containing specific interactions.
The 2024 filters reached users over several weeks, but that earlier rollout doesn't establish a timeline for this feature.
WhatsApp hasn't announced when the new filter will reach the stable Android app, iOS, or desktop versions.
What to do now
If you're enrolled in WhatsApp's Android beta program, check whether you're running version 2.26.42.12 or later and look at the top of the Chats tab.
Don't assume the filter will appear immediately, even on a compatible beta build. Availability depends on whether WhatsApp has enabled it for your account.
If the feature is available, try it with a group conversation where someone has mentioned you or replied to one of your messages. Check whether the conversation appears in the filtered list and how it behaves after you open the chat.
Everyone else should wait for a wider rollout rather than assuming the feature is coming to the stable app on a particular date.
And even when the filter becomes widely available, a mention or reply appearing in the list won't necessarily mean it still needs an answer. The documented feature identifies interactions, while determining which ones deserve a response remains up to the user.
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