Contents

Part 1. Add WhatsApp Contacts by Syncing (iPhone & Android)
Part 2. Add WhatsApp Contacts Directly in WhatsApp
Part 3. Fix WhatsApp Not Showing Contacts or Chat History
Part 4. Bonus: Transfer & Back Up WhatsApp Contacts with Aiseesoft WhatsSync
Part 5. FAQs of Adding Contacts to WhatsApp

How to Add Contacts to WhatsApp on iOS and Android Smartphones

January 19, 2026Louisa White

“Can someone tell me how to add new contacts to WhatsApp on an iPhone? You know that messages on WhatsApp are completely free as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection. I want to add some new contacts to it so that I can use WhatsApp Group Chat conveniently. - Lily”

WhatsApp is an exceptionally good app for communication, making it convenient to stay in touch with family members and friends. It also lets you send unlimited messages and share great videos on the Internet for free. Once you register and have been approved, your contacts will be synced automatically. But here comes a question: How can we add contacts to WhatsApp? In this article, we will guide you through the process of adding new contacts to WhatsApp on both iPhone and Android devices.

Part 1. Add WhatsApp Contacts by Syncing (iPhone & Android)

Before manually adding anyone, the easiest way to make your friends appear on WhatsApp is by syncing your phone contacts. Once your device’s contact list is synced with WhatsApp, all saved numbers that use WhatsApp will automatically show up in your chat list. It functions on both iPhone and Android devices.

If you want to know how do I add a contact to WhatsApp or how do you add contacts to WhatsApp Android, it’s super easy to do. You just need to sync your phone’s contacts, and WhatsApp will automatically show the people already using the app. Here’s how you can do it step by step.

On iPhone

Step 1.

Open “Settings” on your iPhone. Scroll down and tap “Privacy”, then select “Contacts”.

Step 2.

Ensure the toggle beside WhatsApp is turned on to allow access.

Step 3.

Open WhatsApp and tap the “Chats” tab. To update your contact list, pull down the screen. Your synced contacts will appear automatically.

On Android

Step 1.

Open your Phone Settings. Tap “Accounts” and select “WhatsApp”.

Step 2.

Ensure that “Sync Contacts” is turned on.

Step 3.

Open WhatsApp and go to the “Chats” tab.

Step 4.

Tap the “New Chat” icon. Then, tap the three dots (⋮) and select “Refresh” to update and sync your contact list.

Once done, all your phone contacts who use WhatsApp will automatically appear, and you can start chatting right away.

Part 2. Add WhatsApp Contacts Directly in WhatsApp

If you prefer to do things straight from the app, you can easily add a new contact to WhatsApp without leaving it. This is handy when someone messages you first, or if you just want to save a new number while chatting quickly. Here’s how you can do it:

On Android:

Method 1. Add via the New Chat Option

Step 1.

Open WhatsApp and tap the “Chats” tab.

Step 2.

Tap the “New Chat” icon (the message bubble) and select “New Contact”.

Step 3.

Enter the person’s name and phone number. Tap “Save,” and the contact will be added automatically to your WhatsApp list.

Method 2: Add from an Unknown Number in a Chat

If someone messages you but isn’t saved yet:

Step 1.

Open the chat with that unsaved number. Tap the number at the top of the chat screen.

Step 2.

Select “Save +” and enter their details.

Step 3.

Tap “Save.” Now their name will replace the number in your WhatsApp chat.

Method 3: Add Using WhatsApp QR Code

If your friend shares their QR code:

Step 1.

Open WhatsApp, tap the three dots (⋮), and choose “Settings.”

Step 2.

Tap the QR code icon beside your name and switch to the “Scan Code” tab.

Step 3.

Point your camera at your friend’s QR code. Tap “Add to Contacts,” and WhatsApp will automatically save their info.

On iPhone

Method 1. Via New Chat

Step 1.

Launch WhatsApp and go to the “Chats” tab. Tap the “New Chat” button, then choose “New Contact”.

Step 2.

Type in the name and phone number of the person you want to add.

Step 3.

Tap “Save”, and that’s it!

Once saved, the new contact will appear in your WhatsApp chat list, ready for you to send a message or make a call at any time.

Method 2: Add a New WhatsApp Contact from a Message

Step 1.

Open the message from the person you want to save and tap “Add to Contacts” or “Not Spam. Add to Contacts.”

Step 2.

Choose whether to “Create New Contact” or “Add to Existing Contact.”

Step 3.

Fill in any additional details, such as the name or other information, and tap “Done” to save.

Once saved, the new contact will appear at the bottom of your Favorites list in WhatsApp.

Part 3. Fix WhatsApp Not Showing Contacts or Chat History

For iPhone:

If WhatsApp displays no contact on iPhone/iPad, check the settings to enable access to WhatsApp. Go to your iPhone, click "Settings" > "Privacy" > "Contacts" > slide the bar of WhatsApp to "ON". If not, update the software to the latest version from App store on iPhone/iPad. If you accidently delete WhatsApp chat history or attachments, you can try a reputable iOS data recovery tool, iPhone Data Recovery to help you recover lost contacts on iPhone. With that, you can handily recover WhatsApp data like messages, images, videos from iOS device, iTunes backup files and iCloud back up file.

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For Android:

If you find a particular friends or acquaintance is not added to WhatsApp contacts list, maybe you should do the following according to your need:

1. Update WhatsApp to the latest version from Google Play or other app store.

2. Check whether the contact exists or not in your phone address book.

3. Maybe the format you save the contact in WhatsApp is not quite right. Modify it to the standard format as "+" [Country Code] [Phone Number].

4. Go to the tab of "Contacts" of WhatsApp, and then tap "Menu" button> click "Contacts" > tick the box of "Show all contacts".

5. In your Android address book, make sure that all contacts accounts (e.g. Google, SIM) or all contacts group (e.g. Friends, Family) are "visible" or "viewable".

Additionally, if you lose some important contacts from WhatsApp or other apps on Android, then visit this post: recover deleted contacts on Android.

Part 4. Bonus: Transfer & Back Up WhatsApp Contacts with Aiseesoft WhatsSync

If you plan to switch phones or simply want to ensure you never lose important WhatsApp contacts and conversations, Aiseesoft WhatsSync is a tool worth considering. In fact, Aiseesoft WhatsSync is an easy, safe, and secure way to back up, transfer, and restore WhatsApp on either Android or iOS. With WhatsSync, you can move all of your WhatsApp Messenger chat history, media files, and contact information in only a few clicks. This process is helpful when you want to safeguard your WhatsApp contacts or transfer them to a new phone without losing any contact data.

Downloads

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Transfer with WhatsSync

Step 1.

After downloading our tool, install it and select “WhatsApp,” then click “Start.”

Step 2.

Click the “Transfer” option to move WhatsApp data between devices. Use a USB cable to connect your Android device and/or iPhone to the computer. The program will detect them automatically.

Note: For iPhone users, tap “Trust This Computer” on your iOS and enter your screen password. This feature requires that iTunes be installed on your iOS device.

For users with Android devices, tap “Allow” when you see the "Allow USB debugging" prompt. If your device does not display the "Allow USB debugging" prompt, please re-plug your Android phone and go to Settings > “Developer” options. Turn off USB debugging, then turn it on again.

Step 3.

To select the source and target devices, click the dropdown arrow next to your device name.

Step 4.

Hit the "Transfer" icon. Any current WhatsApp data on the target device will be deleted during the transfer process. You can click "Continue" to continue the process and transfer the data to the target device. If you want to keep any of the current WhatsApp information on the target device, please hit "Backup".

Backup with WhatsSync

Step 1.

Click WhatsApp and select “Backup”. Utilize a USB cord to connect your iPhone or Android device, or try connecting your Android device wirelessly.

Step 2.

Choose the backup device from the dropdown arrow and click the “Backup” button. If this is your first time backing up, you will be prompted to pick a storage path for your backup.

Step 3.

Just follow the remaining instructions and wait for the process to finish.

Part 5. FAQs of Adding Contacts to WhatsApp

How do I add someone on WhatsApp from another country?

You should open your phone's address book, enter a plus sign and the country code, and then followed by the full number. For example, if the contact you want to add on WhatsApp is from United States (country code 1 and the area code 408) with the phone number XXXXXXX, then you should enter +1 408 XXX XXXX on WhatsApp to add the contact from another country.

How to add contact to WhatsApp group without admin?

In the latest WhatsApp, the admin can generate a group invite link. Even if you are not the admin, you could share the group link to other contacts, and invite them into the WhatsApp group.

How to add contact to WhatsApp chat?

You must be the group admin to add contacts to WhatsApp chat firstly. Open WhatsApp group chat, tap the group subject, tap Add participants to add the contact, and finally hit the green check mark when you completed.

How to add multiple contacts in WhatsApp group at once?

You should generate an invite link to your group, and then send the link to multiple contacts (at the maximum of 256) by WhatsApp, email, Facebook, etc., then go to the WhatsApp group, and add the contacts and click on Invite go group via link. Then you can add the many contacts in WhatsApp at once.

Conclusion

It is easy and quick to add contacts to WhatsApp. If you can’t see any of your contacts or chats, then it’s usually just a matter of checking your permissions or refreshing your WhatsApp list. If you’re concerned about just your contacts, some tools, like Aiseesoft WhatsSync, even make it easy to back up and transfer your WhatsApp contacts and other relevant data when you switch devices at any time. So now you know how do you add contacts to WhatsApp Android and iPhone, keeping your connections close and your chats always accessible!

How to Add Contacts to WhatsApp on iOS and Android Smartphones

Part 1. Add WhatsApp Contacts by Syncing (iPhone & Android)