How to Send a Contact on WhatsApp (Android and iPhone)

Typing out a phone number in a message invites mistakes, and nobody enjoys reading digits aloud to a colleague. WhatsApp has a neater option: you can send a contact straight from your address book. It's what I use when a client asks for an introduction, or when a supplier needs to be passed to a team member. Here are the steps WhatsApp's help pages give for Android and iPhone, what the other person can do with it, and the privacy points I'd think about before passing on anyone else's number.

Send a contact on WhatsApp from Android

1. Open the individual or group chat you want to send it to.
2. Tap the attach icon.
3. Tap Contact.
4. Select the contact you want to share.
5. Tap the send icon.

WhatsApp's help page describes the Contact option as sending the information of a contact saved in your phone's address book over WhatsApp. If the contact you want isn't listed, it needs to be saved on your phone first. My guide to adding a contact on WhatsApp covers that.

Send a contact on WhatsApp from iPhone

1. Go to the Chats tab and open the individual or group chat.
2. Tap the plus sign beside the message box.
3. Tap Contact.
4. Select the contact.
5. Tap Next, then Send.

If your list looks empty or names are missing, WhatsApp's help page says some contact names don't appear until you've allowed full access to your phone's contacts. On iPhone that's in Settings, then Apps, then WhatsApp, then Contacts, where you choose Full Access.

What the other person can do with a contact you send on WhatsApp

According to the help page, the recipient can add the contact to their address book or message them directly from the message. That's the whole point of a contact card: it saves the recipient from typing anything. In practice it means:

• If the person you've shared is on WhatsApp, your friend can start a chat from the card.
• Either way, your friend can save the details to their own contacts.
• You're sharing what's saved on your phone for that contact, so tidy details make for a tidier card.
• A card is a copy of what you sent. If you later change the saved details, a card already sent doesn't change.

If you meant to find someone rather than share them, my guide to finding someone on WhatsApp covers numbers and usernames.

Forward a WhatsApp contact someone else sent you

Passing a card along is easy too. WhatsApp's help page on sending media says you can forward contacts like other messages: open the chat, tap and hold the message, choose the forward option, pick the chat and send. It adds that you don't have to upload them again, and a forwarded message that wasn't originally sent by you shows a Forwarded label. That's a handy detail if you're wondering how the label ended up on a card.

Share your own details as a WhatsApp contact

You can introduce yourself the same way. Save your own details as a contact in your phone's address book, then send that contact using the steps above. A few ideas for a business:

• Put your business name in the contact so it shows on the card.
• Use the number you use on WhatsApp.
• If you've created a username, WhatsApp's help pages say you can also share your username link or QR code, so people can message you without needing your number.

For the name people see for you, my guide to changing your name on WhatsApp explains the difference between your profile name and your username.

Privacy points before you send a contact on WhatsApp

A contact card contains someone else's phone number, and they may not expect it to travel. These are the rules I follow:

• Ask first. A short message saying that someone would like to be introduced takes a moment.
• Only share what the recipient needs.
• Don't drop a contact into a large group unless the person is happy for that.
• Never pass on details for someone who has asked not to be contacted.

Once it's sent, someone may already have seen it, so think before you tap send.

When to send a WhatsApp contact card and when to share a username instead

A contact card is the right tool when you're introducing two people who both already know you. It passes on a number, which is exactly what some people don't want to share. WhatsApp's help pages say that with a username, your phone number stays private from people who don't have it saved. So if you're a freelancer or small-business owner who'd rather not hand out your mobile to every new enquiry, sharing a username link or QR code may suit you better than sending your own card. Your decision depends on how comfortable you are with the other person holding your number.

• Introducing a supplier to a colleague: send the contact card.
• Handing a new customer a way to reach you: consider a username link or QR code if you've set one up.
• Sending a venue or delivery driver's number to a group: ask them first, then send the card rather than pasting digits that someone might mistype.
• Sending several people at once: do it in separate messages if you can't tell whether the menu on your version allows more than one selection.

Send a WhatsApp contact into a group chat

The steps are the same in a group chat: open the group instead of an individual chat and follow the Contact route. The difference is the audience. Everyone in the group will see the card, including people who've never met the person you're sharing. WhatsApp's help page treats individual and group chats the same here. Before you do it, ask yourself whether the person would want their number in front of the whole group. If you're not sure, send it privately to the one person who needs it.

If you can't send a contact on WhatsApp

• The Contact option isn't there: update WhatsApp and look through the full attach menu. Menus vary by app version.
• No contacts show: allow WhatsApp to access your phone's contacts in your phone's settings.
• The person isn't listed: save them in your phone's address book first.
• You want web or desktop steps: the help centre has separate tabs for those, and I haven't covered them here.

Frequently asked questions

How do I send a contact on WhatsApp?

Open the chat, tap the attach icon (the plus sign on iPhone), tap Contact, select the person and send. On iPhone you tap Next and then Send.

What does the person receiving the contact see?

A contact message. WhatsApp's help page says they can add the contact to their address book or message them directly from the message.

Can I send a contact that isn't saved on my phone?

WhatsApp's help page describes the option as sending a contact saved in your phone's address book, so save the person first.

Can I forward a contact I received?

Yes. WhatsApp's help page says you can forward contacts like other messages, and they don't need to be uploaded again.

Do I need permission to share someone's number?

WhatsApp doesn't ask, but it's courteous and sensible to check with the person first because you're passing on their personal information.