Rakuten-owned encrypted instant messaging app Viber has added chat folders. These customizable folders allow users to organize their conversations into groups for more streamlined communication. The new feature is available with the latest update for the app on Android and iOS.
Viber adds chat folders for streamlined communication
Chat folders allow you to group multiple conversations of a particular type for easier access. You can create separate chat folders for family members, colleagues, friends, and more. This way, your chats won’t be mixed up. Work chats will remain in a different group than family conversations.
This isn’t a new concept as chat folders are already available on some messaging apps, including Telegram. Viber is now joining this bandwagon. According to an official press release from Rakuten, Viber users can create up to five chat folders with custom names. This is in addition to an ‘All’ tab where you will find all of your chats, including those added to custom folders.
Folders will appear as separate chips on the top of the Chats screen. You should be able to swipe left or right to switch between the folders or tap on a chip to directly jump to it. Rakuten says you can assign the same chat to multiple folders. This will come in handy if your friend is also your colleague. Along with individual conversations, you can add group chats, channels, and communities to folders.
There is no limit to the number of chats you can add to a folder. However, Viber doesn’t allow you to add hidden chats, messages from Viber Pay, businesses, and customer interactions to folders. You can rename a folder whenever you want. Viber shows separate unread badges for each folder to indicate the number of unread chats within that folder. You can mark all chats within a folder as read at once.
The new feature is now rolling out to users
Chat folders on Viber will be available with version 22.0 and above of the app. Once you receive it, you will be introduced to the new feature on the home screen (provided you have more than ten chats on Viber). You can also activate and manage chat folders by going to More on the main chat screen and then selecting Manage Folders.
Rakuten says it could take up to two months for chat folders to reach all Viber users globally. You can check for updates for the app from the Google Play Store on your Android smartphone or the Apple App Store on your iPhone. “Our latest feature is here to elevate conversations and preserve meaningful connections by unlocking time-saving potential and embracing the advantage of simplicity,” said Ofir Eyal, Rakuten Viber’s CEO.
2024-03-01 15:08:08