WhatsApp Launches New In-App Contact Saving Feature for Enhanced Convenience & Security: Here's How It Will Work

Contacts will be stored in WhatsApp's cloud storage, ensuring they remain accessible even if a user switches devices or loses their phone.

WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature that will allow users to save contacts directly within the app, offering a more secure and convenient way to manage personal and business connections. With this update, contacts will be stored in WhatsApp's cloud storage, ensuring they remain accessible even if a user switches devices or loses their phone. This marks a shift from the app's previous approach, which relied on syncing contacts from a user’s phone.

Traditionally, WhatsApp pulled contact information from the phone’s address book. If someone messaged you, their details would be stored locally on your device. The new update allows users to save contacts across multiple platforms, including WhatsApp Web and the Windows desktop app. This offers greater flexibility, as you can manage contacts across devices without relying on your phone’s contact list. For those who prefer, there’s also an option to sync WhatsApp contacts back to your phone's address book.

WhatsApp's Efforts To Improve Account Management

This feature builds on WhatsApp's previous efforts to improve account management. Last year, the app introduced the ability to log into two WhatsApp accounts on a single device, a boon for those who need to keep personal and professional contacts separate. The new contact-saving feature adds another layer of organization, particularly for users who share their devices with others, enabling them to maintain distinct contact lists linked to their specific number.

Security has been a key focus in the development of this feature. WhatsApp has created a new encryption protocol called Identity Proof Linked Storage (IPLS), designed to securely store contacts. When a contact is saved, the system generates a unique encryption key on the user's device, ensuring that only the authenticated device can access or retrieve the contact information. Additionally, WhatsApp has partnered with Cloudflare to verify any changes to the cryptographic properties of a user’s contact list. This prevents unauthorized edits or tampering with stored contacts.

Save By Username

Looking ahead, WhatsApp is working on adding the ability to save contacts by username. This would enhance user privacy by eliminating the need to share phone numbers when messaging someone new. In a blog post, WhatsApp highlighted that usernames will offer an extra layer of protection, allowing users to connect without giving away personal information.

The introduction of usernames has been anticipated since May 2023, when reports surfaced that WhatsApp was exploring this feature. Competitors like Signal and Telegram already offer similar privacy-focused options, where users can share a username instead of their phone number.