WhatsApp not showing contact name? How to fix it

WhatsApp not displaying the name of the contact you saved? The problem usually occurs with certain contacts that you have recently saved. Other times it affects all the 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 the possible reasons for WhatsApp not showing contact names. Also, we will show you some solutions you can try to fix the problem and see contact names again.

WhatsApp stopped showing contact names for various reasons. Here are a few:

• The WhatsApp backend is experiencing a technical issue.
• You have just saved a contact that WhatsApp has not restored.
• Your phone’s contact list was accidentally deleted.
• Your phone no longer recognizes the SIM card with saved contacts.
• WhatsApp cannot access the contact’s name because your operating system restricts it.
• There is a problem with WhatsApp sync.

Now that you know the reasons for WhatsApp not showing contacts, let’s explore the solutions we can try to fix this problem.

Preliminary examination

Apply the following preliminary checks before starting serious troubleshooting:

• Restart WhatsApp to get rid of the problem temporarily.
• Restart your phone to make sure the problem is not caused by a bug in your operating system.
• Disable any apps you use to use two WhatsApp accounts at the same time.
• Make sure no other instant messaging apps are active on your device.
• Make sure WhatsApp is up to date.
• Remove any apps that might interfere with WhatsApp, such as status savers.

If the preliminary checks above don’t help, then start implementing other fixes.

1. Make sure the problem is not on the backend.

The WhatsApp backend encounters unexpected issues from time to time. While engineers are working to fix this issue, users continue to encounter bugs in the app. Hence, you need to check if the WhatsApp backend is responsible for WhatsApp not showing the contact name.

To check, visit the official Downdetector website. In the upper right corner, type ” What is it “ in the search bar and press Enter. After that, click WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business, depending on which platform you’re having issues with. Downdetector will notify you if the app is down.

If a similar issue has been reported recently, it’s likely a backend issue. Therefore, you should wait for the problem to be resolved on the backend. In the meantime, you can switch to WhatsApp Web or the WhatsApp desktop app.

If no issues have been reported indicating that the WhatsApp backend is not the cause of the problem, start implementing other fixes.

WhatsApp does not always show recently saved contacts immediately. Sometimes it takes a few minutes or a reboot to retrieve the contact name. Have you recently saved a specific contact name and WhatsApp isn’t displaying it? If so, close WhatsApp and restart it.

Also, make sure that the contact’s name is saved in your phone’s address book and that you have saved the number in the correct international format.

If restarting the app doesn’t work, and you’ve verified that the phone number was saved correctly, but the problem persists, you should refresh all your contacts.

WhatsApp has a handy refresh feature that allows the app to quickly retrieve recently saved contact names. Here are the steps to refresh saved contacts:

1. Open WhatsApp.
2. Tap new cat in the lower right corner of WhatsApp.
3. knock three vertical dots in the top right corner.
4. knock Refreshing.

4. Troubleshoot your phone’s address book

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

Is the problem of contacts not appearing on your device widespread? If so, there is a problem with your phone’s address book. You should fix your phone’s address book problem and WhatsApp will start showing the contact’s name again.

Our guide to fixing contacts not showing up on your iPhone can help, especially if the problem is with your iOS device.

5. Make sure your SIM card is active

Do you store contacts on your phone or on a SIM card? If you still choose the last option, make sure the SIM card is accessible by your phone.

Frequently dropping the phone, changing the SIM card, or other carelessness moving the SIM card in its slot, prevents your phone from detecting it. If it cannot detect the SIM card, the contacts stored on this card will not be displayed.

Make sure your SIM card is properly placed in your phone, detectable by it, and your contacts are still stored there. If the SIM card is working normally, proceed to the next step.

6. Remove OS Restrictions

With proper permission settings, you can effectively prevent prying eyes from spying on you. However, if you set these permissions too strictly, your phone’s operating system may not even allow trusted apps to access the data they need.

For example, WhatsApp might only show a contact’s number if it doesn’t have access to your saved contacts. Therefore, it is very important to rule out this possibility.

On Android, open it Arrangement Application and type application. Tap three vertical dots in the upper right corner and press Permissions manager.

Then go to contact and choose What is it Where whatsapp business in the application list. Make sure the circle is for To allow checked.

On iOS, open a window Arrangement Open the app Personal lifeand press contact. Turn on the button next What is it.

7. Check for sync issues (Android)

Allowing WhatsApp to access your contacts will make no difference if you stop syncing contacts automatically. To confirm the sync settings are active and to sync contacts again, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Arrangement on your Android device.
2. Then tap Users and Accounts.
3. knock What is it.
4. Check the box next contact.
5. Tap vertical point Where More information about in the upper right corner and press Sync now.

The above steps may differ on different phones. Does this also apply to you? If so, you should check your phone manufacturer’s official website to find out how to manage your contact sync settings.

When WhatsApp displays only a contact’s number instead of a name, it can be a serious memory test. By implementing the solutions given in this article, hopefully you can help WhatsApp to show contact names again. If none of the fixes work, you will have to reinstall WhatsApp from scratch, which is a disadvantageous solution.