- WhatsApp is rolling out the ability to add and edit contacts from within the messaging app, even on linked devices.
- Users will see a new setting to "Sync contact to phone" whenever they save a new contact inside the WhatsApp app.
- WhatsApp will also let users add contacts via the web app soon, along with the ability to save them with usernames.
Among the slew of WhatsApp features added in September, we spotted a new contact syncing and custom contact list creation functionality being tested with beta users. So, we knew WhatsApp was taking its contact management system seriously. Now, WhatsApp has announced that it will let you “privately add and manage your contacts on WhatsApp, from any device you may be using.”
Currently, if you want to add a contact, you need to rely on your primary device where you logged into WhatsApp. However, the new functionality will eradicate that dependency and simply let you add contacts from whichever linked device you’re on. However, it’s not just phones you can add contacts from.
In the announcement blog post, WhatsApp stated that you will also be able to “add and manage contacts from the comfort of your keyboard on WhatsApp Web and Windows.” Additionally, the contact syncing feature is official now, and you will see a new setting to “Sync contact to phone” whenever you’re adding a new contact inside WhatsApp. This will allow you to choose whether you want to save a contact to your current linked device or across all devices.
WhatsApp notes that this feature will come in handy when you’re sharing your phone with someone else, or want to separate your personal contacts from your business ones. Last year itself, WhatsApp rolled out the ability to add multiple accounts on the same phone. So, this will help users using multiple WhatsApp accounts on their phones.
However, do note that contacts you choose to not sync across your WhatsApp accounts will not be backed up in case you lose your phone or change devices.
In an attempt to further boost user privacy, WhatsApp also announced that it will “eventually” let users save WhatsApp contacts by usernames. So, just like Telegram, this will allow users to not give away their phone numbers and add contacts by just their usernames.
WhatsApp says that they will have “more to share when it’s ready.” So, it does sound like the feature is quite a ways away for now. However, as a reviewer who can’t stick to a single phone, it’s amazing to finally have this feature. Additionally, WhatsApp also lets you in on how they’ve crafted all these features by giving extra priority to user privacy.
With that said, what do you think of the ability to add contacts right from within WhatsApp, even on linked devices? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
