WhatsApp not showing contact names?How to fix

Whatsapp Can't show the name of a saved contact?This problem usually occurs with specific contacts that you have recently saved.Sometimes, it affects all contact names in your phone's address book.Where does this problem come from and how to solve it?

In this article we will explore Whatsapp Possible reasons why contact names are not displayed.Additionally, we will also show you a few fixes you can try to resolve this issue and see your contact names again.

Why did WhatsApp stop showing contact names?

There are several reasons why WhatsApp stops showing contact names.Here are a few of the reasons why:

1. There is a technical glitch in the WhatsApp backend.

2. You have recently saved a contact, but WhatsApp has not restored it yet.

3. The contact list on your phone was accidentally deleted.

4. Your phone no longer recognizes the SIM card with saved contacts.

5. WhatsApp cannot access contact names due to operating system limitations.

6. There is a problem with WhatsApp synchronization.

Now that you know the reasons why WhatsApp is not showing contacts, let’s explore the fixes you can try.

1. Do some preliminary checks

Before serious troubleshooting, please perform the following preliminary checks:

1. Restart WhatsApp to eliminate temporary issues.

2. Restart your phone to make sure the problem is not caused by an operating system error.

3. Disable any application that uses two WhatsApp accounts at the same time.

4. Make sure no other instant messaging applications are active on your device.

5. Make sure WhatsApp is up to date.

6. Delete any applications that may interfere with WhatsApp, such as status savers.

If the above initial checks don't work, start applying the remaining fixes.

2. Make sure the problem is not coming from the background

Unforeseen problems often occur in the WhatsApp backend.While engineers work to fix issues, users still encounter bugs in the app.Therefore, you should check if WhatsApp not displaying contact names is an issue with the WhatsApp backend.

To verify this, please visit Downdetector’s official website.Type "WhatsApp" into the search bar in the upper right corner and press Enter.Then, depending on the platform you are having trouble with, tap WhatsApp or WhatsApp business.Downdetector will notify you if the application fails.

If similar issues have been reported recently, it's most likely a background issue.Therefore, you should wait for the problem to be resolved.In the meantime, you can switch to WhatsApp Web or WhatsApp Desktop app.

If there are no issues reported there, it means that the WhatsApp backend is not the source of the problem, start applying the rest of the fixes.

3. If you have not saved the contact yet, please save it

WhatsApp only displays the names of contacts you have saved in your contact list.When you receive a text message from a new number, WhatsApp will remind you that the person is not in your contact list.

Since you have not saved the contact in your phonebook before, WhatsApp will not show the contact name as it does not exist.Therefore, you need to save the contact so that its name appears in WhatsApp.

If you have already had a conversation with the person on WhatsApp, there is no need to save the contact manually.Just open a chat on WhatsApp and you will see the option to add or block a contact.Click Add to Contacts, name the contact and save it.

Once you save a contact, WhatsApp will display the contact's name instead of their phone number.Please make sure you save your phone number in the correct international format.

4. Wait for the contacts to appear

WhatsApp does not always display newly saved contacts immediately.Sometimes it takes a few minutes or a reboot to get the contact names.Have you recently saved a specific contact name but WhatsApp isn't showing it?If so, close WhatsApp and restart it.

If restarting the app doesn't work, you should refresh all contacts.

5. Refresh WhatsApp contact list

WhatsApp comes with a handy refresh feature that helps the app quickly retrieve the names of newly saved contacts.Here are the steps to refresh saved contacts:

1. Open WhatsApp.

2. Click the New Chat button in the lower right corner of WhatsApp.

3. Click on the three vertical dots in the upper right corner.

4. Click Refresh.

This will get the latest contact list.

6. Fix the problem of mobile phone address book

Problems with the phone's address book can also prevent WhatsApp from displaying contact names.When this happens, the problem doesn't just affect WhatsApp.The contact names will no longer appear in any other applications that use these contacts. Telegram, Signal, your phone's Messages app and other apps are also affected.

Is the problem of contacts not showing up on the device common?If so, then there's something wrong with your phone's address book.You should resolve any issues with your phone's address book so that WhatsApp will display contact names again.

7. Make sure the SIM card is activated

Do you save your contacts on your phone or on your SIM card?If you always choose the latter, make sure the phone can accept a SIM card.

Often, dropping the phone, changing the SIM card, or other negligence can cause the SIM card to shift in the slot, preventing the phone from detecting the SIM card.If the phone cannot detect the SIM card, it will not be able to display the contacts saved on the card.

Make sure your SIM card is inserted correctly into your phone, that your phone detects it, and that you still have contacts on the card.If the SIM card is functioning properly, continue to the next step.

8. Eliminate operating system restrictions

With appropriate permission settings, you can effectively prevent snoopers from spying on you.But if you set these permissions too restrictively, your phone's operating system might not even let trusted apps access the data they need.

For example, if WhatsApp cannot access your saved contacts, it may only display the contact number.Therefore, it is crucial to rule out this possibility.

On Android, open the Settings app and tap Apps.Click the three vertical dots in the upper right corner, then click Permission Manager.

Then, go to Contacts and select WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business from the application list.Make sure the "Allow" circle is checked.

On iOS, open the Settings app, go to Privacy & Security, and tap Contacts.Turn on the toggle next to WhatsApp.

9. Restore the latest operating system or application updates

Android regularly releases updates to fix bugs, address security vulnerabilities, and introduce new features. The same goes for Android apps like WhatsApp.

Installing these updates is essential to enjoy new features and protect your device.However, sometimes updates are released with bugs that cause unforeseen problems.If you are also experiencing the issue in question after updating your operating system or WhatsApp, you should resume updating.

10. Check for sync issues (Android)

If you have stopped automatically syncing your contacts, allowing WhatsApp to access your contacts will have no effect.To confirm that sync settings are enabled and resync contacts, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Settings app on your Android device.

2. Then click Users and Accounts.

3. Click WhatsApp.

4. Select the checkbox next to the contact.

5. Click the vertical dot in the upper right corner or the More menu, then click Sync now.

The above steps may vary for different phones.Does this apply to you too?If so, you should check your phone manufacturer's official website to learn how to manage your contacts' sync settings.

Make WhatsApp display contact names again

When WhatsApp displays only the contact number and not the name, it puts a serious test on the user's memory.By applying the fixes in the article, you can hopefully get WhatsApp to display contact names again.If all the fixes fail, you should reinstall WhatsApp from scratch, which is a less favorable solution.