Hack of the day: Create custom WhatsApp lists for busy chats

The Times of India' brings you 'Hack of the Day'—a new weekday series of quick, practical solutions to everyday hassles. Each hack is designed to save you time, money or stress, using tools and features within your reach—from government websites to everyday apps. In simple terms, it's simple fixes for smarter living.If your WhatsApp doubles as both a personal and professional hub, it can quickly feel overwhelming. Family updates, school groups, work discussions, building notices, and customer chats all compete for attention. Custom WhatsApp Lists help you separate the noise from what matters most, letting you check related conversations together without scrolling endlessly through a cluttered inbox.Use WhatsApp’s Lists feature as a set of custom filters. By grouping chats into categories — like family, school, work, or vendors — you can streamline your messaging experience. Instead of juggling dozens of notifications, you’ll have organised spaces to focus on one type of conversation at a time.1. Open the WhatsApp Chats tab.2. Swipe down to view your chat lists (if the feature is available in your app version).3. Create a new list for a category such as family, school, work, or vendors.4. Add the chats and groups that belong in the list.5. Use the list whenever you want to check only that category of conversations.While Lists won’t reduce the number of messages you receive, they make WhatsApp feel far less chaotic. By filtering chats into meaningful categories, you can prioritize what matters most — whether it’s a work deadline or a family update — without drowning in notifications.