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This wikiHow teaches you how to add a WhatsApp contact with an international phone number to an Android phone or tablet. Since WhatsApp pulls your contacts from your Android's regular Contacts app, you'll just need to create a new contact that includes your friend's international phone number preceded by a plus (+) symbol.
Things You Should Know
- Add the person you want to message as a new contact in your phone to message them on WhatsApp.
- Make sure you have entered their full international number. This will include a + symbol, the country code, and then the rest of the phone number.
- Once they are added to your phone, you can message them on WhatsApp using the same method you would for a domestic contact.
Steps
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1Open your Android’s Contacts. Look for an app called "Contacts" in your app drawer. It’s usually a blue, red, or orange icon with a white outline of a person’s head.[1]
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2Tap the new contact icon. It's usually a plus (+) sign.Advertisement
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3Select a storage location. Depending on your contacts app, you'll usually be asked to select an account and/or a storage location (internal storage or SIM card). This is where WhatsApp will save your new contact.
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4Type a name for the contact.
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5Enter the contact’s international phone number. In the phone number blank, start by typing the “+” (plus) symbol, followed by the country code (e.g., 44 for UK), and then the rest of the person's phone number.[2]
- For example, a UK phone number would look something like this: +447981555555.
- Phone numbers in Mexico must have a 1 after the country code (+52).
- Phone numbers in Argentina (country code +54) must have a 9 between the country code and the area code. Remove the "15" prefix from this number so the phone number has 13 digits.
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6Tap Save. The location varies by version. Your contact is now added to your Android’s phone book, which means you can now chat with them in WhatsApp.
Community Q&A
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QuestionI cannot add any international numbers into my WhatsApp. What can I do?Community AnswerI had this problem, and it was because I had included the country code, but forgot to add the plus (+) sign in front of the number.
References
About This Article
1. Open your Android's main Contacts app.
2. Tap + to create a new contact.
3. Enter a contact name.
4. Type a + followed by the country code into the phone number blank.
5. Enter the rest of the phone number.
6. Save your contact so it is accessible in WhatsApp.