Why can't I find a contact in WhatsApp by phone number - briefly?
There could be several reasons why you can't find a contact in WhatsApp by phone number. Firstly, the user might have their privacy settings configured to hide their phone number from searches. Additionally, if the number is not saved in your device's contacts or if it’s an international number with a different format, it may not be recognized by WhatsApp's search function.
Why can't I find a contact in WhatsApp by phone number - in detail?
There could be several reasons why you cannot find a contact in WhatsApp by phone number. Here are some detailed explanations:
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Privacy Settings: WhatsApp allows users to control their privacy settings, including who can see their last seen, profile photo, about information, and status updates. If the user has set their phone number visibility to "Nobody," you will not be able to find them by searching their phone number.
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Blocked Numbers: If the contact has blocked your number on WhatsApp, you will not be able to see their profile or send them messages. This is because WhatsApp respects users' privacy and does not allow communication with blocked numbers.
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Incorrect Phone Number Format: When searching for a contact by phone number, ensure that you are using the correct international format. The phone number should start with the plus sign (+) followed by the country code and the rest of the number without any spaces or special characters. For example, +1234567890.
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Contact Not Saved: WhatsApp allows users to save contacts directly from the app. However, if the contact is not saved in your phone's address book, you will not be able to find them by searching their phone number on WhatsApp. You can only search for contacts that are already saved in your phone's address book.
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Contact Has Not Been Saved Correctly: If the contact was saved with an incorrect or incomplete phone number, you will not be able to find them by searching their phone number on WhatsApp. Ensure that the contact information is accurate and complete.
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WhatsApp Account Deactivated or Banned: If the contact has deactivated their WhatsApp account or has been banned from using the service, you will not be able to find them by searching their phone number. In such cases, the only way to communicate with them is through other means of communication.
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WhatsApp Business Accounts: If the contact has a WhatsApp Business account, they may have set up a greeting message or an away message that appears when you try to send them a message for the first time. However, you will not be able to find them by searching their phone number if they have not added you as a contact in their address book.
To resolve this issue, you can ask the contact to check their privacy settings and ensure that their phone number visibility is set to "Everyone" or at least "My Contacts." Additionally, make sure that you have saved the correct phone number for the contact in your phone's address book. If the problem persists, it may be helpful to contact WhatsApp support for further assistance.