WhatsApp stands as the go-to social messaging app for easy communication across the globe, all of this is made possible with over two billion active monthly users. Despite being so popular, WhatsApp lacks one key feature, the ability to message a number without adding them as a contact in your phonebook.
Adding the number to your phonebook solves the whole thing, however, wanting to reach out to a business or service contact for a one-time chat is very much possible and adding these contacts could mean needless clutter. So, we are going to take a good look at how you can send messages to a WhatsApp number without adding them as a contact in your phonebook.
Steps on how to message a WhatsApp number without adding it as a contact first
1. Using WhatsApp short links
WhatsApp short links are very useful when it comes to things like this. Using these short links, if a customer/friend opens the short link on a device with WhatsApp installed, it opens a chat between the two of you. If they open the short link on a web browser, they will be sent to a web page with your business information and your default message if one’s been assigned. From there, they can click CONTINUE TO CHAT to open a chat with you on WhatsApp.
How to create a WhatsApp short link?
- Open the WhatsApp Business app > Settings > Business tools.
- Tap the Short link to view the auto-generated link.
- Tap
- Tap
- Tap the slider to set a message template for customers to use when they open the short link.
- Tap
If you don’t have a WhatsApp Business app, you can simply head over to your browser and type out the address https://wa.me/phonenumber. The phone number field should include the country and region code as well, but no modifiers like + or – or 00.
2. Using an app
WhatsDirect is a great tool for your favourite messenger app to send messages to any numbers that are not saved in your contacts. How does it work?
- Enter a number to which you are going to send a message OR select numbers from recent calls.
- Type your text message and tap on the send button.
- This will take you to your favourite messenger then a chat window is created with a given number.
How to send multimedia messages with WhatsDirect
- Enter a number or select from recent call logs to which you are going to send a message.
- Tap on ‘Send Media.’
- You will be directed to your favourite messenger official app then you can attach any media from there.
For those using iPhone devices, there’s a better way to chat WhatsApp numbers without saving them in your phonebook. The shortcuts app lets you set up a quick access way to input a phone number and get chatting right away.
- Head over to the shortcuts app and create a new shortcut.
- For the first action, tap the add action and search for ask for input.
- Once selected, tap the action field and set it to ask for a number. Assign it an easy-to-remember label like a phone number.
- Now add a second action. For the second action, you’ll need to set it as a variable. In the first field, type out the same label as above. In this case, it will be called the phone number. In the second field, select provided input. This will ensure the phone number, once added in, will be assigned to the specific field.
- For our third action, select the URL option. In the URL field, enter http://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=234 and follow it up with the variable we assigned above. In this case, it will be the variable called the phone number. Don’t forget to replace the 234 in our URL field with your country’s dialling code.
- Finally, the fourth action is to launch the browser with the URL.
I hope this tutorial was helpful, if you encounter issues with sending messages to a number not on your contact list, feel free to let me know in the comment box below.
