WhatsApp Removes Communities Tab on Android for New Contacts Hub
WhatsApp is removing the underused Communities tab on Android, replacing it with a new Contacts tab featuring pinned favorites, activity sorting, and quick Meta AI access.
Meta is overhauling the bottom navigation bar in its WhatsApp application on Android devices, removing the underused "Communities" tab in favor of a new "Contacts" tab. According to a report by WABetaInfo, the redesigned interface aims to reduce visual clutter and consolidate essential features into a single, highly functional control center.
The newly introduced tab places a "Favorites" section at the top, allowing users to pin close contacts for rapid communication without scrolling through lengthy lists. Below this section, the complete contact directory can be sorted using three intelligent filters: alphabetical order, upcoming birthdays, and recent activity. Selecting the activity filter instantly promotes currently online friends to the top of the screen, marking them with a prominent green dot, while remaining contacts are ordered by their last-seen timestamp, subject to individual privacy settings.
At the bottom of the directory, WhatsApp has integrated a permanent shortcut to initiate conversations with Meta AI, marked with a persistent green dot indicating round-the-clock availability, alongside quick-access buttons to invite friends and Instagram followers to chats. Additionally, the floating action button in the lower-right corner leads to an upgraded contact creation screen. Following recent privacy initiatives, this screen enables users to save new contacts not only via mobile phone numbers but also using unique usernames.
The decision to eliminate the dedicated Communities tab stems from a broader interface reorganization by Meta, which recently introduced a dedicated communities filter at the top of the main chat list, rendering the persistent bottom-bar button redundant. WhatsApp is also relocating status updates to the top of the chat list and testing the integration of content channels into chat folders, a restructuring that may eventually phase out the Updates tab or replace the AI button for certain accounts.
The feature was initially spotted in WhatsApp beta for Android, version 2.26.45.2, via the Google Play Store and is currently rolling out in phases to beta testers before a wider release to all Android and iOS users in the coming weeks. For millions of users who rarely utilized the Communities tab and sought a streamlined method to identify available contacts without navigating multiple chat windows, the update restores core simplicity and usability to the messaging platform.
