Linked WhatsApp devices are gaining a feature you thought they always had

Key Takeaways

• WhatsApp announced today that users would soon be able to manage and add new contacts via linked devices.
• As a prerequisite, users will also be able to save contacts exclusively to WhatsApp, preventing them from appearing in your device's contact list.
• The messaging giant is also working on functionality to let users manage and save contacts by usernames. A timeline for the feature's release is currently unclear.

We already know that WhatsApp is currently working on importing one of Instagram's best features. The messaging platform is reported to soon gain music support for Status Updates, allowing users to add their favorite tunes to their image or video stories. But apart from features aimed at enhancing users' storytelling experience, the platform is also working on changes to enhance contact management and privacy.

Related

WhatsApp is finally working on sandboxed contacts for each of your accounts

One device, two accounts, separate contacts

The messaging giant has been previously spotted working on granular controls for contact syncing across multiple accounts on one device. Now, in a new blog post, WhatsApp has detailed that users should soon be able to add and manage contacts from your linked devices, including the WhatsApp web client and its Windows app. For reference, previously, new contacts could only be added via your mobile device — that too, the primary one.

"Soon, you’ll be able to add and manage contacts from the comfort of your keyboard on WhatsApp Web and Windows – and eventually other linked devices," wrote the messaging giant. Other linked devices could include Android tablets (iPads don't support WhatsApp), smartwatches, and potentially Ray-Ban Stories and Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.

There's more where that came from

Source: WhatsApp

Additionally, the messaging app is also introducing a new option for users to save contacts exclusively to WhatsApp. Essentially, these contacts will not live on your device, and they'll only be present on WhatsApp. This is likely a prerequisite for adding contacts from linked devices via WhatsApp web or the Windows client. The change should prevent certain phone numbers from being visible on other apps, with WhatsApp-only contacts being "ideal for when you are sharing your phone with others or if you want to separate personal and business contacts when managing more than one WhatsApp account on your phone."

Since these contacts live in WhatsApp cloud and not on your phone, you'll be able to restore them in case you lose your device or switch to a different one.

In a separate update, the messaging giant plans to roll out functionality to let users manage and save contacts by usernames, allowing users to find their friends on the platform without the need to know their number. "Usernames on WhatsApp will add an extra degree of privacy so that you don’t need to share your phone number when messaging someone," wrote WhatsApp. A timeline wasn't shared.