WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. With so many people using WhatsApp, you may want to find someone you know on the platform to start chatting with them or add them to a group. However, searching for contacts on WhatsApp can be confusing if you don’t know how.
In this comprehensive guide, we provide step-by-step instructions on different ways to find someone on WhatsApp for both iPhone and Android devices using various search methods. We cover recent updates for 2024 and tips to customize your privacy settings. Read on to become a WhatsApp search pro!
Method 1: Using the Contacts Search Feature
The easiest way to find someone on WhatsApp is by using the Contacts search feature within the app. Here is how to use it:
On iPhone
- Open the WhatsApp app on your iPhone
- Tap on the Chats tab at the bottom to see your recent chats
- Tap on the Contacts button at the top right to open your contacts list
- In the search bar at the top, type in the name of the contact you want to find
- Matches will appear below the search bar – tap on the correct match to open the chat with that contact
If the contact is not yet on WhatsApp, you will see an “Invite to WhatsApp” button instead of the chat button.
On Android
- Launch WhatsApp and tap on the Chats tab
- Tap on the 3-dot menu button in the top right corner
- Choose New group or New contact from the menu
- Type the name of your contact in the To field at the top of screen
- Select your matching contact to open the chat screen or add them as a new contact on WhatsApp
This search will work for any of your existing contacts who also have WhatsApp. If you don’t see your contact appear, it likely means they are not yet using WhatsApp.
Method 2: Using WhatsApp Number Lookup Services
If you want to find someone on WhatsApp but don’t have their phone number saved in your contacts, there are free third-party number lookup services you can use:
Truecaller
Truecaller is a popular call identify and spam blocking app. They also provide phone number search options to identify unknown numbers.
To find someone on WhatsApp using Truecaller:
- Download and install the Truecaller app on your iPhone or Android phone
- Open the Truecaller app and enter the phone number you want to search
- If the number is registered with Truecaller, it will show the name and potentially even a photo to verify identity
- Tap on the profile and under app detection, you can see if the number has WhatsApp registered
- Copy the phone number and paste it while creating a new WhatsApp contact to message them
Spytox
Spytox is website providing various phone number lookup options.
To lookup for WhatsApp user details:
- Go to Spytox website on your mobile browser
- Enter the phone number you want to check on WhatsApp in international format
- Select your country from the dropdown for better location accuracy
- Click on the Lookup button to start the search
- The website will search through various public data sources online to fetch user details linked to that mobile number
- The report displayed will show registration details of apps including WhatsApp
- Use the phone number to add a new contact on WhatsApp and try sending a message
Method 3: Using Links or QR Codes
You can also use WhatsApp links or QR codes with someone’s phone number embedded to directly start a chat, even if you don’t have their number saved already.
To Create a WhatsApp Link
- Open WhatsApp Web on your computer browser
- Click on the New Chat button > New Group to open group info window
- Instead of adding participants, click on Invite via link below participants panel
- A custom invite link will be generated with your phone number embedded
- Copy and share this link with anyone you want to start a chat on WhatsApp
When someone taps the link on their smartphone, it will open a chat window with your number automatically added so you can start messaging each other.
To Create a WhatsApp QR Code
- Open your WhatsApp account settings
- Tap on Linked Devices > Link a Device
- Point your phone camera at the QR code visible on screen
- Tap on Link Device to confirm
- The QR code and its embedded details will now be saved in your camera gallery
- Share the QR code image with anyone you want to chat with
- They can scan the QR code using WhatsApp to directly start a chat with you
By utilizing invite links or QR codes, you can add new WhatsApp contacts seamlessly.
Method 4: Searching by Profile Photo
If you have the person’s profile photo on WhatsApp but don’t know their phone number, you can also search using it to find their account. Here is how it works on both platforms:
On iPhone
- Make sure you have the latest version of WhatsApp installed
- Open WhatsApp and tap on the Chats tab
- Tap on the Contacts button in the top right corner
- Tap on the camera icon visible at the top beside search bar
- A photo icon will appear – tap on it
- Select the WhatsApp profile photo you want to search from your photo gallery
- The app will scan all WhatsApp public profiles to find a match based on facial recognition
- Tap the match when it appears to start chatting
On Android
- Launch WhatsApp and tap More options > Settings
- Tap Profile > Profile Photo
- Tap the camera icon > Search by image in the pop-up
- Browse and select the WhatsApp profile photo from gallery
- Grant permission for WhatsApp to access media if prompted
- Possible matches with the profile photo will display in the app
- Tap the contact you want to message to open the chat
The image search capability makes it easy to reconnect with old WhatsApp contacts whose numbers you may have lost.
Method 5: Using WhatsApp Business Profile Links
WhatsApp Business accounts have public profile links which can be added by anyone to start a chat. You can search for and use these links to find someone’s Business account on WhatsApp.
- Go to Google and search “person’s name WhatsApp business”
- If they have a Business profile, you may find their public link in Search results
- Tap the WhatsApp link when visible to open their Business chat window
- Start messaging them or tap Add to Contacts to save their number
This method works seamlessly for business contacts who use WhatsApp for customer engagement.
Method 6: Using Third-Party WhatsApp Search Tools
There are also dedicated third-party mobile apps and websites designed specially to search for WhatsApp users by name or number without saving them as your contact.
Some popular options include:
- WhatsPlus: Desktop software for WhatsApp management including user search options
- WhatsSearcher: App to search WhatsApp accounts by name and location
- Find WhatsApp User: Website allowing search via names and phone numbers
- WhatsTrack: Web search for WhatsApp users offering extra stats
- WebWide: Bulk WhatsApp lookup tool for businesses
While testing any third-party apps or services, be cautious about possible privacy risks from sharing your own phone number or contacts data. Avoid options asking for too many unnecessary permissions.
Method 7: Exporting Your Contact List to Find Matches
If you have previously had someone’s number saved in your contacts, there is a chance it continues to be synced with your Google account or iCloud.
You can export and check your current extended contacts list to search for an old WhatsApp contact.
On Android
- Open your phone Contacts app
- Tap the 3-dot menu button > Settings
- Choose Export > select platform to save backup like Google Drive
- Access the contacts backup file on Google Drive
- Use the search functionality to lookup for the old contact
- Add the retrieved number again in your device and WhatsApp
On iPhone
- Go to Settings > click your profile
- Scroll down and tap Export Contacts > Export to VCF
- Email the vCard contact backup file to yourself
- Open the attachment on desktop and use CTRL+F to search for the lost contact
- Add the number back to your iPhone and refresh WhatsApp
By exporting your full contacts list, you can lookup old contacts even if the numbers are not actively stored on.
Method 8: Using WhatsApp Group Invite Links
Active WhatsApp groups often utilize invite links to add new members. If you have access to such a group invite link, you can leverage it to find and add group members who may be your existing contacts.
To find contacts using invite links:
- Get a group invite link from a mutual friend active in the group
- Tap the link on your phone to open the WhatsApp Group
- It will show the full list of current group participants
- Scan through and look for the contact you want to find
- Tap their name to open their personal chat window
- Start chatting or add them back as a contact directly from here
Using open group links can help rediscover old contacts who you share mutual friends with on WhatsApp.
Method 9: Message Someone Who is Not Your Contact
While WhatsApp does not explicitly allow messaging people who are not your contacts, there are some workarounds:
Via Group Chat
- Create a new WhatsApp Group by adding at least one existing contact
- Add yourself via invite link as the second participant
- Now close the group and delete it for everyone else except you
- Start typing out a message in the group
Since you are the only participant left, the message notification will directly reach the non-contact even without their number saved by you.
Via Click to Chat Links
There are some online web tools like chatwithperson.com which can generate a click-to-chat link for any unsaved number.
You can put in someone’s full phone number to create a URL clickable on WhatsApp to message them directly. However, privacy aspects of such tools are questionable.
Via Business Profile Links
As mentioned before, WhatsApp Business profile links are designed to let anyone start chatting without needing to be an existing contact.
You can search if the person you want to message has a business account and then use the public link to text them. Useful for professional connections.
Method 10: Using Third Party WhatsApp Search Bots
There are dedicated third party search apps and bots being developed using unofficial APIs that index WhatsApp data from various sources.
For example, TopSearchBot allows specially performing searches across WhatsApp databases to find matching phone numbers and names globally across all countries which official WhatsApp restricts currently in 2024.
It provides capabilities like:
- Global name search across profiles
- Search by group name
- Search by date/age
- Search by location
This demonstrates more expanded search powers being investigated by third parties to go beyond basic keyword only searches in official WhatsApp.
Ensuring Your WhatsApp Privacy
While finding and messaging new people on WhatsApp is convenient, you also want to ensure your privacy settings are configured appropriately so that you are discoverable to only people you choose.
Here are some top tips to manage your privacy:
- Profile Photo Visibility: Set your privacy to contacts only for profile photo sharing. This will prevent random people from accessing your account details via photo search.
- Last Seen, Read Receipts & Online Status: Disable last seen timestamp, blue ticks and online status visibility for all except your trusted contacts like close friends or family.
- Groups Privacy: Always avoid joining publicly shared open groups with strangers as participants can access your number and profile data.
- Verifying Contacts: WhatsApp now allows verifying contacts for extra security against fake accounts and impersonation risks. Turn on verification notifications for your private chat threads.
- Block Suspicious People: If someone not in your contacts tries to repeatedly message you, simply block them outright to prevent harassment.
By tweaking these 5 key privacy settings, you can securely use WhatsApp to chat with both existing and new contacts without putting your account at risk.
How to Find Someone on Whatsapp without them knowing
Finding someone on WhatsApp without them knowing raises some privacy concerns. However, here are a few subtle ways to search for someone while minimizing detection:
- Use WhatsApp’s built-in profile photo search feature. This scans all public profiles to find matches. As long as your profile visibility is hidden, they won’t know you searched for them if no result pops up.
- Check Google search results for their name along with “WhatsApp business” to try and find a public business profile link you can message without revealing your details.
- Access a WhatsApp group in common and discreetly lookup their profile within the participant list. Don’t directly message them immediately which could indicate you were searching.
- Use WhatsApp on desktop browser in invisible mode so you don’t appear online. Search for their number or name across your chat lists to confirm if registered.
- Verify a potential profile match via the WhatsApp Verification feature rather than messaging first. This shared authentication hides your activity better.
While these methods have some privacy tradeoffs, they are subtle enough to avoid detection in most cases. Ensure your own last seen, online status and read receipts are disabled. Ultimately, consider if finding someone on WhatsApp without consent is ethical in the first place.
How to Find Someone on Whatsapp without Their Number
Here are the top ways to find someone on WhatsApp without having their phone number:
- Use WhatsApp’s Profile Photo Search Feature: If you have a photo of the person’s WhatsApp profile, you can search for them by uploading it to find matches based on facial recognition.
- Look Up Their WhatsApp Business Profile Link: Many users and businesses create public WhatsApp Business profiles with clickable links to message them directly. Search on Google with their name and location to discover such links.
- Join a Mutual WhatsApp Group: Get added to WhatsApp groups where both you and the contact are members already. Access their full profile and number within the group info.
- Third-Party Search Websites: There are some third-party sites like WhatsSearcher.com which allow searching WhatsApp accounts by name, location and other public info, if available.
- Search an Export of Your Contacts List: Export your full device contracts list to a file using Google Contacts or iCloud and search thoroughly for any traces of that number.
- Use Click to Chat Links: Generate a WhatsApp link via tools and share it asking them to message you first without needing their number saved.
While discovering someone’s WhatsApp without consent raises ethical issues, several technical methods do make it possible. However using business links, mutual connections and profile photos is ideal to establish contact while preserving privacy of both parties better.
How to Find Someone on Whatsapp with Number
Finding someone on WhatsApp with their phone number is very easy. Here are the steps:
- Open WhatsApp on your phone.
- Tap on the Calls tab at the bottom.
- Tap on the Contacts button at the top right.
- Tap on the New Contact button at bottom right.
- Enter the phone number with country code you want to find.
- Tap Done or Save to confirm.
- WhatsApp will automatically check if this number has an existing WhatsApp account.
- If the number is registered, it will directly open the chat screen to start messaging.
- If the number doesn’t have WhatsApp, you will see options to Invite them to WhatsApp or Save as a regular contact.
That’s it! With just the phone number, you can instantly find WhatsApp profiles and directly chat with anyone who is using WhatsApp already. This saves you from the hassle of first saving numbers and then checking one-by-one if they use WhatsApp.
The process works seamlessly across both Android smartphones and iPhones. Just make sure you enter the full number properly with country code else WhatsApp cannot detect the profile accurately.
How to Find Someone on Whatsapp by Name
Here are the best ways to find someone on WhatsApp by just using their name:
Contacts Search
- Open your WhatsApp contacts list
- Use the search bar at the top to search by their name
- Matching contacts using WhatsApp will appear
Group Participants
- Open common WhatsApp groups you share
- Tap on Group Participants
- Scroll and search for their name in the list
WhatsApp Business Profile Links
- Google search their name + “WhatsApp business”
- Check if public profile links appear and tap them
Third-Party Search Tools
- Use apps like WhatsSearcher to lookup via name
- Web tools like Find WhatsApp User also allow name search
Shared Media Search
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat History
- Search for their name in older media files to find
The best results come from searching your existing contacts and groups. Public business profiles also help. Avoid sharing your own contacts while using third-party apps. Search by name wisely!
How to Add Someone on Whatsapp (Easy Steps)
Here are the easiest ways to add someone on WhatsApp:
Step 1. Get their phone number:
- Ask them directly to share their number
- Obtain the number from a mutual friend
- Find the number if you have it saved elsewhere
Step 2. Save the number in your phone’s contacts:
- Create a new contact or add to existing one
- Ensure you save correctly with the country code
Step 3. Open WhatsApp and tap on the Calls tab:
- Tap on the Contacts button in the top right
- Then tap on the “New Contact” button
Step 4. Enter the phone number you want to add
- WhatsApp will automatically detect if this number already has WhatsApp
Step 5. If number has WhatsApp, it will directly open chat screen
- Start messaging once they accept and verify you
Step 6. If number doesn’t have WhatsApp, you will get option to “Invite” them
- Send invite via SMS or share WhatsApp download link
That’s it! Once they accept your invite or sign up themselves, you can add them seamlessly. Make sure to enable visibility in your WhatsApp privacy settings if you want them to view your last seen, profile photo etc.
How to Share Whatsapp Contact
There are a few easy ways to share your WhatsApp contacts with others:
- Share Your QR Code
- Open WhatsApp > Tap More Options > Settings > QR code
- Point the camera at the QR code to scan or take a screenshot of it
- Share the QR code via chat, email, etc with anyone you want to connect with
- Share Invite Link
- Open WhatsApp on Web/Desktop > Click New Chat > New Group
- Tap “Invite to Group via link” to generate a shareable invite link
- Send this link to contacts so they can directly message you
- Export Chat History
- Go to WhatsApp > More Options > Settings > Chats > Chat History
- Tap Export Chat to create a .txt file backup with your number
- Share this file containing your details with others
- Create Click-to-Chat Link
- Use tools like ChatWithPerson website to generate a WhatsApp click-to-chat link
- Embed your number in this link to directly start a chat
By sharing your QR code, invite link, chat history or custom URL – you can seamlessly exchange WhatsApp contacts with anyone new. Just be careful not to publicly overshare these contact details.
How can we Find People on WhatsApp without their phone number?
There are a few ways to find someone on WhatsApp even if you don’t have their phone number:
- WhatsApp Profile Photo Search: If you have the person’s profile photo, you can use WhatsApp’s built-in image search to scan all public profiles and find matches. This searches by facial recognition.
- WhatsApp Business Profile Links: Search on Google for “[person’s name] WhatsApp business” and you may find a public link to their WhatsApp Business profile that anyone can use to message them.
- Group Invite Links: If you share a mutual WhatsApp group with someone, get the group invite link from another member and use it to access and save the person’s number from the participant list.
- Third-Party Search Tools: Some apps like WhatsSearcher and websites like Find WhatsApp User allow searching for WhatsApp accounts by name, location or other details available in public domain. Useful to rediscover old contacts.
The best approach is to use the official WhatsApp features like photo search and business links to avoid privacy risks. Enable security settings like hiding your profile photo and status visibility to only contacts if concerned about being discovered randomly by strangers.
How to Find Someone on WhatsApp without adding/saving a number
Here are a few ways to find and message someone on WhatsApp without having their phone number saved in your contacts:
- Use WhatsApp’s built-in profile photo search capability. If you have their profile photo, you can scan and find their account without the number.
- Look for WhatsApp business profile links on Google search and directly send a message without adding the number.
- Get an invite link to a WhatsApp group that you share with the person. Access their profile within the group member list.
- Generate a click-to-chat URL link from tools like ChatWithPerson. Share this on other channels and the person can directly reply on WhatsApp without providing the number back.
- Create a new WhatsApp group with yourself + one other contact. Leave the group so only you remain. Now any message you type here will be delivered as a private message to the other person without needing their number.
The key is finding alternative authentication points like verified business accounts, groups, photos etc. to establish the chat without explicitly exchanging phone numbers. This gives more control over privacy as personal contacts details are not shared until intended.
Conclusion
Finding people you know on WhatsApp can help you renew old relationships and expand your connections circle further. With its immense global userbase, there is a high probability someone from your contacts or network is already active on WhatsApp.
Use the searching methods outlined above like advanced contact lookup, number search services, QR code scanning, profile photo matching, group invite links etc. to track down WhatsApp accounts of people you want to connect with.
Bear in mind privacy best practices while searching and chatting so that you have full control over who can interact with you. With over 2 billion users now, WhatsApp is the top communication platform to drive meaningful conversations, so learn how to maximize its search features to find new friends or associates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about finding someone on WhatsApp:
How do I find someone on WhatsApp if I don’t have their number?
You have a few options to find someone on WhatsApp without their phone number:
- Use WhatsApp’s profile photo search feature to upload their profile photo and scan for matches
- Search for their WhatsApp business profile link on Google
- Use third party WhatsApp search tools that can lookup accounts by name
- Try to find them in common WhatsApp groups you are both part of
Is there a WhatsApp phone number directory?
No, WhatsApp does not have an official public directory of all users and their phone numbers. Number privacy is crucial. You can use third party apps like Truecaller to identify WhatsApp users registered with specific mobile numbers.
Can I message someone on WhatsApp who is not my contact?
There is no direct way to message non-contacts on WhatsApp. A few workarounds include using a group chat or specialized tools and services to generate a chat link. However, this only works if the recipient actually has WhatsApp installed.
How do I create a WhatsApp invite link?
Open WhatsApp Web > New Chat/Group > Invite via link. A custom link will be created that embeds your number so people can directly start chatting when they tap the link. Useful for first contact.
Can someone find my WhatsApp account?
Your account can be discovered via profile photo search if visibility is enabled in Settings. Optimize your privacy settings like hiding last seen, status etc. to avoid being found by random people and numbers. Also turn off unauthorized group invite permissions.
Is it safe to access my contacts list on third-party WhatsApp search websites or apps?
No, avoid permitting any website or app access to your local contacts data and phone number as they can potentially misuse your private information without consent. Only use reliable tools transparent about data privacy.