WhatsApp is developing a new feature called Message Request that aims to allow users to filter messages from unknown contacts. This feature does not block messages from being sent but rather controls how the messages are displayed in the application.
Through the new Who Can Message Me setting, users are offered two main options. The first option is Everyone which allows messages from unknown contacts to appear in the chat list as usual. The second option, My Contacts which provides tighter control by moving messages from unsaved numbers into a special folder labeled ‘Requests’.
The folder works like a feature on Instagram that separates messages from new contacts to avoid cluttering the main display. In this folder, users can see the name, profile picture and content of the message before choosing to reply, delete, report or block the sender. Once a message is replied to, it will be automatically moved to the main chat list.
This feature is expected to be introduced in a future update and may be given a different name during the official launch.
