Guide · WhatsApp Business app · For the owner whose customer chats get lost

Finding a customer's chat fast in the WhatsApp Business app: three pinned chats, unread, archive, lists, search by date and pinned messages

A customer asked about a price yesterday, and today their chat is somewhere under fifty others. WhatsApp's Help Center has a short article for each of the small tools that fix this: pinned chats, unread, archive, lists, favorites, search, pinned messages, replies, formatting, forwarding and notes to yourself. This guide puts them in the order a busy shop needs them.

Published 15 October 2026

First: which of these pages are about the Business app

One of the articles below, How to use lists, is written for the WhatsApp Business app. The others are written for WhatsApp in general. We read every article in its Android view on 15 October 2026, so menu names may differ a little on iPhone.

Our reading

We expect these everyday tools to work the same way on your business number, but the general articles don't say so. Wherever this guide applies one of them to the WhatsApp Business app, read it as our reading of that article, not as a separate promise from WhatsApp.

Pin the three chats you need most

WhatsApp's article How to pin or unpin a chat says Pin chat lets you pin up to three chats to the top of your chats list, so you find them quickly.

Pin: Tap and hold the chat, tap Pin, choose how long you want the pin to last, then tap Pin.
Unpin: Tap and hold the pinned chat, then tap Unpin.

Our reading

Three is not many, so treat the pins as today's list: the customer waiting on a quote, the supplier you are chasing, and your own notes chat (see Notes to yourself, below). Unpin each one as soon as it is done.

Unread as a 'still to answer' flag

WhatsApp's article How to mark a message as read or unread says you tap and hold an individual or group chat, then choose Mark as unread. Mark as read works the same way, as long as the chat has at least one unread message. Select all lets you mark every chat read or unread at once.

What the customer sees

WhatsApp says a chat you mark as unread is only marked unread on your phone. The sender still sees that the message was read.

Our reading

That makes Mark as unread a private reminder: you have read the customer's message, they can see you read it, and the chat stays marked unread on your phone until you open it again, so open it only when you are ready to answer. Pair it with the Unread list in the next section but one, and the chats still owed a reply are one tap away.

Archive: out of sight, not deleted

WhatsApp's article How to archive or unarchive a chat or group says archiving hides a chat from the Chats tab. Archiving doesn't delete the chat, and doesn't back it up either (on Android the page says it isn't backed up to your SD card). Archived sits at the top of the Chats tab.

Archive one chat: In the Chats tab, tap and hold the chat, then tap the archive icon at the top.
Archive everything: Settings > Chats > Chat history > Archive all chats > OK.
A new message: By default an archived chat stays archived when a new message arrives. Turn off Keep chats archived (Settings > Chats) and a new message brings the chat back out instead; archived chats then sit at the bottom of the Chats tab.
Notifications: You get no notifications for archived chats unless you're mentioned or replied to, and you can't adjust notifications for them.
The number and the @: WhatsApp's page says the number next to Archived shows how many archived chats have unread messages; with Keep chats archived off, the same page says it shows how many chats are in the archive. An @ appears when someone replied to you or mentioned you in an archived group chat.

Our reading

Because archived chats stay quiet by default, a customer who writes back into an archived chat can go unseen. If you archive finished orders, either turn off Keep chats archived or check the number next to Archived every day.

Lists: the Business app's own, and the filters above your chats

WhatsApp's Business-app article How to use lists says lists help you segment, organize and quickly find your contacts. It also says lists are rolling out gradually, so you might not have them yet; in that case the same page points you to labels.

Create a list: Tools > Lists > New list. Enter a name or use a suggestion, pick a colour if you like, add people or groups, and save.
Up to 20: You can create up to 20 lists, and use default or recommended ones as well as your own.
Add a customer: Tap and hold the chat, then pick the lists to add it to, or create a new list for it.
Tidy up: Tools > Lists to delete a list or drag lists into a new order. Tap a list to change its name, colour or members.
One message to a list: The same page says business broadcasts let you share promotions, reminders and more with all the customers in a list at once.

The general articles About lists and How to use lists describe lists as filters above your chats: go to Chats and swipe down to see them. There are four default lists:

All: The default view of all your messages.
Unread: Chats you marked as unread or haven't opened yet.
Favorites: Chats from your favorite contacts.
Groups: All your group chats in one place.

A selected list is highlighted in green and stays applied until you change it, or close and re-open WhatsApp. Chats can't be reordered inside All, Unread or Groups. You can create your own lists, add a chat to one by tapping and holding it and choosing Add to list, and edit, delete or reorder lists from Settings > Lists. If you delete one of the preset lists, Settings > Lists > Available presets brings it back.

Meta's resource library suggests lists that follow the sale (new lead, needs follow-up, paid, shipped or ready for pickup); that is covered, with notes and quick replies, in Keeping a busy WhatsApp Business app inbox in order. Sending one message to everyone in a list is in Business broadcasts on the WhatsApp Business app.

Favorites for the customers you talk to every day

WhatsApp's article How to edit favorites says favorites put your top chats and calls into one list, which you manage from Settings, the Chats tab or the Calls tab; How to edit favorites from the Chats tab covers doing it from Chats. About lists adds that favorites show in the Chats tab, the Favorites list and under Favorites in the Calls tab.

From Settings: Settings > Lists > Favorites > Add people or groups.
From a chat: In Chats, tap and hold the chat, then Add to favorites. Remove from favorites works the same way.
From the Favorites list: In the Chats tab, tap Favorites > Manage Favorites > Add people or groups.

Our reading

Pins are for this week; favorites are for the regulars, such as your biggest repeat buyers and your delivery driver, so they are one swipe away without using up a pin.

Searching: by word, by date, by type

WhatsApp's article How to search WhatsApp says you can search from the Chats tab or inside one chat, for messages, groups in common, photos, videos, links, GIFs, audio, documents and polls.

By word: From the search bar in the Chats tab, or inside a chat by tapping More options (the three dots) > Search. Tap a result to open that message in its chat.
By date: Inside an individual or group chat, tap More options > Search, then the calendar icon, pick the date and tap OK.
By type: On the Chats tab only: tap the search bar, then Photos, GIFs, Links, Videos, Documents, Audio, Unread, Stickers or Polls.
Groups in common: Type a contact's name and the groups you are both in show under Groups in common. If a group is missing, check Archived.
After a restore: If you recently restored your chat history, WhatsApp says rebuilding search can take time, depending on how much history there is. Don't force-close WhatsApp meanwhile.

Search with Meta AI

The same article says the search bar can also be used to ask Meta AI a question, but only in limited countries, and you might not have it yet even if others in your country do. What Meta AI in the search bar does is in Meta AI inside WhatsApp chats with a business. Restoring chats on a new phone is in New phone, new number or lost phone.

Pin the agreed price inside the chat

WhatsApp's article How to pin a message says you can pin up to four messages to the top of a chat. A pinned message shows as a banner for 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days; tap the banner to jump to the message.

Pin: Tap and hold the message, tap Pin, choose 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days, then tap Pin.
Unpin: Any time, by tapping and holding the pinned message > Unpin. If you don't, it unpins itself when the time runs out.
More than one: The banner shows how many messages are pinned, newest first. Tap it to see the next one.
In a group: Group admins choose whether members can pin, under the group name > Group permissions > Edit group settings. Pinning shares a system message with everyone saying a message was pinned and who pinned it.

The page adds that people can't see a pinned message if they joined the group after the pinned message was sent, lost or cleared their chat history, or deleted the message before it was pinned.

Our reading

Pin the message with the agreed price, the delivery address or the order summary in that customer's chat, for 7 or 30 days. When they come back asking 'what did we agree?', the answer is the banner at the top. In a customer group, everyone sees who pinned it, so pin only what everyone should read; running groups is in Running a customer group on WhatsApp.

Reply to the right message

WhatsApp's article How to reply to a message says you swipe right on a message to reply to it, so your answer shows which question it belongs to. In a group, tap and hold a member's message and choose Reply privately to answer them one to one. The same page shows the Enter is send switch under Settings > Chats.

Our reading

When a customer sends five questions in a row, swipe-reply to each one. A reply attached to its question is much harder to misread than 'yes' at the bottom of the chat. In a group, Reply privately keeps one customer's order details out of everyone else's view.

Formatting a price list so it reads

WhatsApp's article How to format your messages lists the marks you type around your text. It says there's no option to turn formatting off.

Bold: An asterisk on both sides: *text*
Italic: An underscore on both sides: _text_
Strikethrough: A tilde on both sides: ~text~
Monospace: Three backticks on both sides.
Bulleted list: An asterisk or hyphen and a space before each line: * text or - text
Numbered list: A number, a full stop and a space before each line: 1. text
Quote: An angle bracket and a space before the text: > text

Instead of typing the marks, you can tap and hold the text you have typed and choose Bold, Italic, Strikethrough or Monospace.

Our reading

Bold the item names, put each item on its own bulleted line, and strike through the old price when you announce an offer. Because formatting can't be switched off, check that asterisks, underscores or tildes in a product code haven't turned part of the message bold, italic or struck through before you send it.

Forwarding an offer: the limits

WhatsApp's articles How to forward messages and About forwarding limits set out how far a forward can go:

Five chats: You can forward a message to up to five chats at one time.
Already forwarded: A message that was forwarded to you can go to up to five chats, including at most one group chat.
Forwarded many times: After a chain of five or more chats, a message is labelled 'Forwarded many times' and can only be forwarded to one chat at a time.
The Forwarded label: Any message you forward that isn't your own outgoing message shows a Forwarded label to you and to whoever receives it.
Not a broadcast list: You can't forward a broadcast list. Media, locations and contacts can be forwarded without uploading them again.

WhatsApp says the forward counter is end-to-end encrypted, so WhatsApp itself can't tell how many times a message was forwarded, and that the limits help prevent spam and misinformation. To share something with many people, it suggests a group chat or links.

Meta AI and forwarded messages

The forwarding-limits article also says you can forward a message to Meta AI to ask questions about it. Meta AI can only read messages people share with it, and Meta can't read your other personal messages, which stay end-to-end encrypted.

Our reading

Forwarding is for passing one offer to a handful of chats, not for reaching your whole customer list. The Business-app lists article says business broadcasts reach all the customers in a list at once. Send them only to customers who agreed to hear from you; see WhatsApp opt-in: permission before messaging.

Notes to yourself, and reactions

WhatsApp's article How to message yourself says you can send messages to yourself to keep track of notes and messages. The chat works like any other, except you can't call, mute, block or report yourself, or see your own last seen and online. Start it from the Chats tab by choosing your own name, and pin it so it's easy to find. WhatsApp says messages to yourself are end-to-end encrypted.

WhatsApp's article How to react to messages says you can add one reaction to a message, and only the person who sent that message is notified. Removing a reaction sends no notification, though the other person might have seen it already. Reactions and reaction counts can't be hidden.

Our reading

Forward a customer's order or address into your own chat and it becomes a running to-do list in a chat no customer is in. A thumbs-up on a customer's message is a quick 'got it', and only they are notified. Starring messages and exporting a whole chat are in Keeping a record of customer chats on WhatsApp.

What this means for your shop

BitByteCore is a verified Meta Tech Provider (since 9 September 2026). This guide repeats WhatsApp's Help Center as we read it on 15 October 2026, and is not legal advice.

Our reading

None of this needs a new app. Pin today's three, mark unread what you still owe, put customers into lists by where they are in the sale, and pin the agreed price inside the chat.

Questions

How many chats can I pin in WhatsApp?

Up to three, at the top of your chats list. You choose how long each pin lasts, and you unpin one by tapping and holding it > Unpin.

If I mark a customer's chat as unread, do they see it as unread?

No. WhatsApp says a chat marked unread is only marked unread on your phone; the sender still sees that the message was read.

Does archiving a chat delete it?

No. Archiving hides the chat from the Chats tab without deleting it. By default it stays archived when a new message arrives, unless you turn off Keep chats archived.

How many lists can I make in the WhatsApp Business app?

Up to 20, from Tools > Lists > New list, each with a name and, if you like, a colour. WhatsApp says lists are rolling out gradually, so you might not have them yet.

Can I find a message from a particular day?

Yes. Inside the chat, tap More options > Search, tap the calendar icon, pick the date and tap OK.

How long does a pinned message stay pinned?

24 hours, 7 days or 30 days, whichever you choose. You can pin up to four messages in a chat, and each unpins itself when its time runs out.

How many chats can I forward a message to?

Up to five at once. A message already forwarded can go to five chats with at most one group, and one forwarded many times goes to one chat at a time.

Who is BitByteCore?

BitByteCore is a verified Meta Tech Provider (since 9 September 2026). This guide repeats WhatsApp's Help Center, and is not legal advice.

Sources

WhatsApp Help Center: How to pin or unpin a chat, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to mark a message as read or unread, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to archive or unarchive a chat or group, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to use lists (WhatsApp Business app), read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: About lists, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to use lists, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to edit favorites, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to edit favorites from the Chats tab, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to search WhatsApp, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to pin a message, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to reply to a message, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to format your messages, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to forward messages, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: About forwarding limits, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to message yourself, read 15 October 2026.
WhatsApp Help Center: How to react to messages, read 15 October 2026.

This guide describes WhatsApp's pages as we read them, and is not legal advice. More plain-language notes like this one are on the guides page.

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