Guide
WhatsApp Catalogue Categories: How to Group Products and Pick a Business Category
WhatsApp has two kinds of category. Catalogue categories are called collections. You make one from your catalogue, name it and pick its items, and WhatsApp says it reviews it within 24 hours. Your business category is different. It sits on your business profile, and you can pick up to three from WhatsApp's list.
What are WhatsApp catalogue categories?
When people say "WhatsApp category", they mean one of two things.
| Catalogue collections | Business profile category | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Groups your products, like "Sofas" or "Silk sarees" | Tells customers what kind of business you are, like a furniture store |
| Where you set it | Tools, Catalog, then Collections | Tools, Profile, then the Category field |
| How many | WhatsApp doesn't publish a limit | Up to three |
| Can you name it yourself? | Yes | No. You pick from WhatsApp's list. |
| Review | Yes. WhatsApp says within 24 hours. | Not mentioned by WhatsApp |
How to create WhatsApp catalogue categories (collections)
You need products in your catalogue first. Our guide on how to add a catalog to WhatsApp Business covers that step. Then:
- Open the Tools tab and tap Catalog.
- Tap the menu, then Collections, then the add icon.
- Type a name for the collection, like "Dining sets".
- Tap Next.
- Pick the products that belong in it.
- Tap Done.
How to check it worked: WhatsApp reviews each new collection against its Commerce Policy and says this should take no more than 24 hours. After that, open your catalogue on another phone. The collection name should show with its products.
How to manage your collections
All of these start from the Collections screen: Tools, then Catalog, the menu, then Collections.
| To do this | What to tap |
|---|---|
| Add or remove products | Tap the collection, open its product list, tick or untick products, then Done |
| Reorder products in a collection | Tap the collection, tap the menu, then Reorder. Drag products, then Save |
| Reorder the collections | Tap the menu, then Reorder. Drag collections, then Save |
| Rename a collection | Tap the collection, tap the menu, then Rename. Type the new name and tap Save |
| Delete a collection | Press and hold the collection, tap the menu, then Delete |
If a collection won't delete, WhatsApp suggests removing all its products first, then deleting the empty collection.
How to choose good catalogue categories
Name categories the way customers ask for things, not the way your stock register lists them. A customer asks for "silk sarees", not "Group 14".
- Keep it short. 4 to 8 categories are easier to browse than 20.
- Use one rule. Split by product type, like sofas, beds and dining sets. Don't mix type and price in one list.
- Put best sellers first. Reorder so the most asked-for category is at the top.
- Skip "Misc". Customers never open it.
| Trade | Example categories |
|---|---|
| Furniture shop | Sofas, Sofa sets, Beds, Dining sets, Wardrobes, Office chairs |
| Saree shop | Silk sarees, Cotton sarees, Dress material, Kids wear |
| Tiles and sanitaryware dealer | Floor tiles, Wall tiles, Sanitaryware, CP fittings |
| Electrical wholesaler | Wires, Switches, Lighting, Fans |
What we see with real shops: owners often make one collection per supplier, because that is how stock arrives. Customers don't know your suppliers. Group by what the product is, because that is what customers look for.
How to set your WhatsApp business category
Your business category shows on your business profile. It tells a new customer what you sell before they read anything else.
- Open the Tools tab and tap Profile.
- Tap the Category field. On iPhone it is called Categories.
- Pick up to three categories that fit your business. Tap a category again to remove it.
- Tap Save.
WhatsApp says you can't make a custom category. If yours isn't in the list, pick a more general one, or Other Business.
Can one product be in more than one collection?
WhatsApp's help page doesn't say either way. Try adding the product to a second collection from the Collections screen. If it lets you, it works.
Why is my new collection missing?
It is probably still in review. WhatsApp says collection review should take no more than 24 hours. Also check that the collection has products in it, and that those products are approved and not hidden. Our guide to a WhatsApp catalogue not showing covers each case.
Categories in a website catalogue
In a OneCatalog catalogue, we set up the categories for you when we build it, and there is no review wait. Each category also gets its own web page that customers and Google can open. See Luxury Homes Furniture and Mattress for a real catalogue with 8 categories. Read how it works on our WhatsApp catalogue page, or see the plans and prices.
Sources: WhatsApp Help: Collections in your catalog, WhatsApp Help: Issues using catalog, WhatsApp Help: How to edit your business profile. Checked 6 October 2026.
WhatsApp is a trademark of Meta Platforms, Inc. OneCatalog is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp.
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Shops like Luxury Homes Furniture and Mattress get their categories set up by us. Message us on WhatsApp and we will tell you how it works for your shop.