The simplest way to add someone to WhatsApp

The fastest way to add a contact to WhatsApp is to use your phone's existing contacts list. When you open WhatsApp and tap the button to start a new chat, the app shows you everyone already saved in your phone's address book — you just select the person and start messaging. You do not need to do anything inside WhatsApp itself.

If the person is not yet in your phone's contacts, you add them there first, then open WhatsApp and they will appear in your chat list. This works the same way on iPhone and Android, though the exact button locations differ slightly.

The one thing WhatsApp needs to work is a phone number. The person you want to message must have WhatsApp installed on their phone, and you must have their phone number saved in your contacts with the correct country code — for example, +1 for the United States, +44 for the United Kingdom.

Key Takeaways

  • WhatsApp pulls contacts from your phone's address book, so add the person's phone number to your contacts first if they are not already there.
  • The phone number must include the country code (the + and numbers at the start) for WhatsApp to recognize it correctly.
  • You can also add someone by typing their phone number directly into WhatsApp if you do not want to save them to your phone's contacts yet.
  • WhatsApp will show you when someone has the app installed, so you will know whether messaging them is possible before you try.

Adding a contact from your phone's address book on iPhone

Open WhatsApp and tap the chat icon at the bottom right of your screen (it looks like a speech bubble). At the top right, you will see a pencil-and-paper icon — tap that. WhatsApp will show you a list of everyone in your phone's contacts who has WhatsApp installed.

Scroll through the list and tap the person's name. A chat window will open and you can start typing your message. The contact is now in your WhatsApp chat list, and you can message them anytime by tapping their name from the main chat screen.

If the person you want to message is not in the list, they either do not have WhatsApp installed or their phone number is not saved in your phone's contacts. Add them to your phone's contacts first — open the Contacts app, tap the + button, enter their name and phone number with the country code, and save. Then return to WhatsApp and refresh by pulling down on the chat list. They should now appear.

Adding a contact from your phone's address book on Android

Open WhatsApp and tap the chat icon at the bottom (it looks like a speech bubble with lines). At the top right, tap the circle with a + sign inside. WhatsApp will show you a list of everyone in your phone's contacts who has WhatsApp installed.

Tap the person's name to open a chat with them. They are now in your WhatsApp chat list. If you do not see them in the list, add them to your phone's contacts first — open the Contacts app, tap the + button, enter their name and phone number with the country code, and save. Return to WhatsApp and the person should appear in the list.

Adding someone by typing their phone number directly

You can add a contact to WhatsApp without saving them to your phone first. This is useful if you want to message someone once without cluttering your phone's address book, or if you are not sure whether you have their number saved correctly.

On iPhone, open WhatsApp, tap the chat icon, then tap the pencil-and-paper icon at the top right. Tap "New Chat" at the top of the screen. You will see a text field that says "Search name or number" — type the person's phone number with the country code (for example, +1 555 123 4567) and tap the result that appears. On Android, tap the chat icon, then the + button, then "New Chat", and type the phone number the same way.

A chat window will open if the number is valid and the person has WhatsApp installed. If nothing happens, the number may be incorrect, the person may not have WhatsApp, or the country code may be wrong. Double-check the number and try again.

Making sure the phone number is formatted correctly

WhatsApp requires the country code at the start of every phone number. The country code is a + sign followed by one to three digits. For the United States and Canada, it is +1. For the United Kingdom, it is +44. For Australia, it is +61. For India, it is +91.

When you save a contact to your phone, you can usually just type the number as you would dial it locally (for example, 555 123 4567 in the US). But WhatsApp needs the country code added. If you are adding someone from another country, ask them how they would write their number with the country code, or look up the country code online and add it to the front of the number they gave you.

If you have saved a contact without the country code and WhatsApp does not recognize them, edit the contact in your phone's address book and add the country code to the start of the number. Then refresh WhatsApp and they should appear in your contact list.

What to do if someone does not appear in your contact list

If you have saved someone's number but they do not show up when you try to add them to WhatsApp, one of three things is usually happening: they do not have WhatsApp installed, the phone number is saved incorrectly, or the country code is missing.

First, check that the number is saved in your phone's contacts with the country code at the start. Open your phone's Contacts app, find the person, and look at how their number is written. If it does not start with a + and country code, edit it and add one. Then go back to WhatsApp and refresh the contact list by pulling down on the chat screen (iPhone) or closing and reopening the app (Android).

If the number is correct and they still do not appear, they may not have WhatsApp installed. You can still message them by typing their number directly into WhatsApp as described above — if they do not have the app, nothing will happen, but you will know for certain. You can also ask them directly whether they use WhatsApp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to save someone to my phone's contacts before I can message them on WhatsApp?

No. You can type their phone number directly into WhatsApp and start a chat without saving them to your phone first. However, if you plan to message them more than once, saving them to your contacts makes it easier to find them in WhatsApp later.

What if I have someone's number but I am not sure about the country code?

Ask them how they write their number internationally, or search online for "[country name] country code". The country code is always a + sign followed by digits. Once you have it, add it to the start of their number and save it to your contacts.

Can I add someone to WhatsApp if they do not have the app installed?

No. WhatsApp only works between people who both have the app. If someone does not have WhatsApp installed, you can still see their contact in your phone, but you cannot message them through WhatsApp. You would need to use a different messaging app or SMS instead.

Why does WhatsApp show some contacts but not others?

WhatsApp only shows contacts who have the app installed. If someone is in your phone's address book but does not appear in WhatsApp, they either do not have WhatsApp or their number is saved without the country code. Check the number in your phone's contacts and make sure it starts with a + and the correct country code.