How do I add someone on WhatsApp without contact?

WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the many useful features of WhatsApp is the ability to add new contacts and start chatting with them, even if you don’t have their phone number saved in your contacts.

Overview

There are a few different ways to add a new WhatsApp contact without having their number in your phone’s contacts. The main methods are:

• Using WhatsApp’s “Invite by link” feature to send an invite link by text/email
• Scanning a QR code from the person’s WhatsApp account
• Entering the phone number manually in WhatsApp’s “New Contact” screen
• Searching for the contact by name (if already on WhatsApp)

Each approach has its pros and cons, which we’ll explore in detail below. With the right method, adding a new WhatsApp contact without having their number can be simple and quick.

Method 1: Send a WhatsApp Invite Link

The easiest way to add a WhatsApp contact is by using WhatsApp’s invite feature. This generates a special invite link that you can send to someone by text message or email. When they click the link on their phone, it will open WhatsApp and automatically add you as a contact.

Here are the steps to send a WhatsApp invite link:

1. Open the WhatsApp app on your phone
2. Go to the Chats tab
3. Tap the 3 dots menu icon in the top right
4. Select “New group”
5. Tap “New contact” instead of selecting any contacts
6. Tap the “Invite by link” option
7. Choose whether to send by text, email, or copy link
8. Send or share the link with the person you want to add

When they open the link on their phone, your chat will be opened automatically and you’ll be added to their contacts. This saves you from having to ask for their number.

Pros:

• Don’t need the contact’s phone number
• Simple link they can open on any device
• Adds you to their contacts automatically

Cons:

• Need to share the link via text/email first
• Only works if they click the invite link
• May not work as well for iPhone users

Method 2: Scan their QR code

Another way to add a WhatsApp contact is by scanning their QR code. Every user has a unique QR code that links to their account. By scanning someone’s code, you can add them as a contact.

To add by QR code:

1. Ask the person to open their WhatsApp account
2. Have them go to Settings > Profile and tap the QR code icon
3. Use your phone’s camera to scan their code
4. WhatsApp will add them to your contacts

This avoids the need to exchange numbers. As long as you can physically scan their code or they can send you an image of it, you can connect on WhatsApp.

Pros:

• Easy to scan someone’s code in-person
• Can receive a photo of the code remotely
• Adds contact automatically after scanning

Cons:

• Need physical or photo access to their code
• Scanning QR codes can be tricky
• Not as seamless as an invite link

Method 3: Manually enter number

If you have the phone number of the person you want to add on WhatsApp, you can manually enter it to create the contact:

1. Open WhatsApp and tap the Chats tab
2. Tap the pencil icon to start a new chat
3. Tap “New Contact” at the top
4. Enter the phone number in full international format
5. Tap the add (+) icon to create the new contact

This will initiate a new chat with that number. As long as the person has WhatsApp active on that number, your messages will go through and you’ll see when they’ve read your messages.

Pros:

• Simple if you have their actual phone number
• Confirms when your messages are delivered/read
• Doesn’t require them to take any action

Cons:

• Need access to their phone number
• Not as seamless as invite link or QR code
• Number could be inactive or invalid

Method 4: Search by name

If the person you want to add is already a WhatsApp user with their number registered, you can search for them by name and add them that way:

1. Tap “New Chat” in WhatsApp
2. Enter the person’s name in the search field at the top
3. Results will show contacts with matching names
4. Select the right match and tap Add to add them

This is handy if you know they’re on WhatsApp but just don’t have their number. As long as your search brings them up, you can start chatting.

Pros:

• Easy if you know their name/username
• Confirms when messages are delivered/read
• Doesn’t require any action from them

Cons:

• Need to know the exact name they use
• May find multiple users with similar names
• Won’t work if they’re not already on WhatsApp

Tips for adding a WhatsApp contact without number

Here are some useful tips when adding someone on WhatsApp without having their phone number:

• Double check the spelling of their name if searching by name – small typos can prevent finding the right match
• Ask them to send you a photo of their QR code for easy scanning if you can’t meet in person
• Send the invite link via both text and email in case they don’t see one of them
• Make sure to use the full international number format when adding manually
• If adding by number, ask them to message you first to confirm it’s active
• Check any pending contact requests in your WhatsApp in case you missed their link
• Give them your name so they know who the new contact or invite is from

Troubleshooting issues adding a WhatsApp contact

Sometimes you may encounter issues when trying to add a WhatsApp contact without a number. Here are some common problems and how to resolve them:

Issue	Solution
Can’t find user searching name	Try alternate spellings/name formats they may use
Invite link doesn’t open WhatsApp	Make sure they click the link on their phone and have latest WhatsApp version
QR code won’t scan	Increase brightness, steady your camera, or try scanning from multiple angles
Manually added number shows invalid	Double check you entered number correctly with country code

If the issues persist, have them try sending you an invite link or QR code instead which may help connect your accounts.

Adding WhatsApp contacts on iPhone vs Android

The process for adding a WhatsApp contact without a number is mostly similar on both iPhone and Android devices. However, there are some differences to be aware of:

• Invite links may open the App Store instead of WhatsApp on iPhones – users have to install/open WhatsApp first
• QR codes can be trickier to focus on for iPhones due to camera differences
• Name search works best if you have the user’s mobile number or they have an iPhone
• International number formatting differs between operating systems

Overall, sending an invite link is usually the most seamless method for both platforms. Manual entry or name search may require a few extra steps on iPhone.

What happens when you add someone on WhatsApp without number

When you successfully add someone on WhatsApp without having their phone number, here is what happens:

• They are added to your WhatsApp contacts automatically
• You can see when they were last online and when your messages are delivered/read
• You are added to their contacts list as well
• You can start messaging each other in private or group chats
• Your profile photo and about info display in their contacts for you
• You can call each other using WhatsApp audio/video call features

Overall, it functions just like adding any other WhatsApp contact, giving you full messaging capabilities. As long as you connect in one of the ways outlined above, not having their number doesn’t prevent you from chatting.

Conclusion

Adding WhatsApp contacts without a saved phone number is easy to do through invite links, QR codes, name search, or manual number entry. While each method has pros and cons, using invite links or QR codes generally provides the smoothest user experience. With the right approach, you can start WhatsApp messaging anyone, regardless of whether you have their number saved in your contacts or not.