Do you know WhatsApp saves your contacts? Yes, We now anticipate our contact information to be available on all personal devices through cloud technology.
Meeting this modern expectation, WhatsApp has launched a feature that allows users to save contacts directly in its messenger’s cloud storage.
WhatsApp is introducing cloud-based contact storage
WhatsApp has revealed on its blog today that the messaging platform will now allow users to save and manage contacts directly within the app.
Before this update, finding someone on WhatsApp required accessing data from your device’s integrated contact list, manually entering a phone number, or scanning a QR code.
Additionally, if you wanted to add a new connection in WhatsApp that wasn’t already in your device’s contacts, it was necessary to save that contact locally first.
Naturally, saving contacts locally poses challenges if you lose your device, upgrade to a new phone, or need access to contact information on different devices like your computer instead of just your phone.
To enhance security with this update, WhatsApp highlights its Identity Proof Linked Storage—a secure, encrypted system designed to protect your contacts.
Advantages of Storing Contacts in the Cloud
Although it may not appear to be a significant upgrade, there are several situations where WhatsApp’s cloud-based contact storage could prove extremely beneficial.
Contacts Associated with Different Accounts
By integrating this feature with last year’s update, which enabled the setup of multiple WhatsApp accounts on a single device, you gain the ability to organize contacts by profile.
For instance, if you maintain both work and personal accounts, you can store contacts distinctly within each account.
During your off-work hours, you can easily make sure you’re contacting your friend Dan rather than the chatty Dan from the mailroom.
A First Step Toward Enhanced Privacy
Beyond its existing advantages, the technology needed to provide this feature will also facilitate a future upgrade.
According to a company blog announcement, WhatsApp will soon allow users to share contacts using only usernames, keeping phone numbers hidden.
WhatsApp emphasizes that this enhancement offers “an extra degree of privacy” for those who prefer not to disclose their phone number.
Conclusion
I believe WhatsApp saves your contacts, been implemented earlier, especially since cloud-based contact storage is standard for most mobile devices.
Additionally, it’s noteworthy that the messenger app is just now hinting at introducing a username-only privacy feature—something Signal already provides—which makes it feel behind in this aspect.
This isn’t unexpected; comparing Signal to WhatsApp shows that Signal has always prioritized user privacy more strongly.
It appears WhatsApp might be trying to catch up in this area, but given its ownership by Meta, I’m skeptical until I see concrete changes.
