Nowadays, WhatsApp is considered one of the most used applications worldwide, not just in the US. The latest statistics show that in April 2022, WhatsApp had approximately 2.44 billion unique active users around the world.
By June 2022, WhatsApp is expected to reach over 2.26 billion unique users. So, trying to find someone on WhatsApp is literally considered searching for one in two billion.
If you have the person’s phone number, searching for them on WhatsApp would be an easy task. Otherwise, it’s almost impossible to find someone on WhatsApp. As an application, WhatsApp values privacy over connectivity. That is one of their strongest selling points and the main reason behind their rising popularity. However, as they say: “If there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Here are some methods to help you find someone on WhatsApp:
Social media finders
Searching for a friend or anyone on Whatsapp when you don’t know their number is not a problem. Some people search engines like TruthFinder allow you to search with that person’s name, and email.
Other sites like Social Catfish have a great tool that lets you search for people on Whatsapp by username. That’s not all; the above tools and more like Spokeo also have advanced features that let us search for anyone on WhatsApp with their email address.
You have the person’s phone number
To register for a WhatsApp account, you need to use your mobile number. But, landline numbers are not accepted. Keep in mind that every WhatsApp account can be associated with one phone number only.
Unlike other social media platforms, you cannot directly search for people using their names or email on WhatsApp. The only way to find a person on WhatsApp is through their mobile number.
All the contacts on your phone with a WhatsApp account will automatically show up in the application’s list of contacts. If the number is not saved on your phone, you need to add it first. Otherwise, you’ll not be able to start a chat with the user or find them on the contact list of WhatsApp.
Once the person is added to your WhatsApp list, you might be able to see their profile picture, status, and stories. It depends on their privacy settings.
The steps of searching for someone on WhatsApp slightly differ from one operating system to another:
Finding someone on WhatsApp using iOS
- Open WhatsApp on your iPhone or iPad.
- From the tabs at the bottom, choose the “Chats” icon. It looks like two speech bubbles.
- Now, you can find the “start a new chat button” in the upper-right corner. It looks like a square and a pencil. This will automatically bring up your WhatsApp list of contacts. There, you can see every contact saved on your phone that uses WhatsApp.
- You can either scroll down till you find the person you want to chat with or use the search bar at the top of the list. Just type the name of the person you want to find in the search bar.
- By tapping on the name of the user, a new chat will launch automatically. This conversation will remain in your active chat list until you delete or archive it.
Finding someone on WhatsApp using Android
- Open WhatsApp on your Android device.
- Tap on the “Chats” icon near the top of the screen.
- From the lower-right corner, choose “New Chat”. It’s an icon that looks like a round, green speech bubble. This will bring up your WhatsApp list of contacts.
- To find the person you want; you can scroll down till their WhatsApp account appears. Another way is to tap on the search bar at the top and type the person’s name.
- To start a new conversation with them, just tap on their username.
If you cannot find the person on your WhatsApp contact list, make sure you have their mobile number saved on your phone. Otherwise, they might not be registered on WhatsApp. You can invite them to use the app. Just scroll down the WhatsApp list of contacts.
At the bottom, you’ll find all the people you have on your phone list that do not use WhatsApp. Next to their names, there will be an “Invite” button. Tap on it to send them an invitation.
Intelius is a great example of a search engine that can help in searching for a WhatsApp account by cell phone number in the US.
What if you don’t have the person’s mobile number?
Trying to find someone’s WhatsApp account without their phone number can be quite frustrating. You might have all their other info, like email and name, except their phone number. Also, many people now have multiple mobile numbers. So, the number you have, might not be the same one they use for their WhatsApp account.
It’s almost impossible to find someone’s WhatsApp, without having their mobile number. Fortunately, there’s still a way. It’s more difficult but worth trying if you do not have other options. However, you’ll need to have other information about the person, like their name, e-mail, and website. The more information you have, the better your chances are of finding their WhatsApp account.
Here are some methods you can use to find someone on WhatsApp, without knowing their mobile number:
Click to Chat link
WhatsApp has a “click to chat” feature. It allows you to start a conversation with someone on WhatsApp, without having their phone number. So, you need their “click to chat” link, though.
Many businesses add their “click to chat” link to their contact information. You might also find it on their social media accounts. Check their comments or just ask the person directly to send you their WhatsApp “click to chat” link. This feature works on both WhatsApp web and phone apps.
Common WhatsApp groups
If you and the other person are members of the same WhatsApp group, you can get their number. Open the group info by tapping on its name at the top of the chat. After that, scroll down till you find the “Participants” section. There, you’ll see the names and mobile numbers of all the members in this WhatsApp group.
Tap on the name of the person. This will open their WhatsApp account. You can choose to message them or start an audio or video call with them. Under their name, you may also find their cell number. You can save it on your phone contact if you want.
Reverse photo search
If you’re not familiar with this search technology, you have to learn more about it. It’s a powerful technique that helps you to uncover hidden accounts on social media with the photo of your partner or friend only. Here are the best social media finder search engines by picture:
Social Catfish: Just find a clear picture of the person, then upload it to the tool online. After completing the web search, you might see hidden accounts on multiple social platforms at once, including WhatsApp, if available.
TinEye: This is a free reverse image search engine that works. However, it does not provide more than an Internet URL where that photo appears. That being said, TinEye is a search engine that can show you accounts on WhatsApp through pictures you upload. Give it a try and see if you can discover profiles.
Other social media platforms
You cannot search for a person on WhatsApp using their name or email. However, you can do that on other social media platforms. So, use the information you have to find the social media accounts of the person. This can be the lead to finding their WhatsApp.
If you know the other social media accounts of the person, browse through them. You might find their phone number in their Facebook or LinkedIn account info. In addition, some business accounts on Facebook have their WhatsApp linked to their profile info. You can also try to click on their “Call Now” button. It will take you to their phone number.
Website
Today, any well-established business has a website. There you may probably find all their contact information, from email to mobile number. If you are searching for a person, check the website of the place they work for. Sometimes, the contact information of high-ranking employees is published there.
In case you are searching for a public figure or a celebrity, you can also check their website. Usually, sections like, “Contact Us” or “About Us”, contain phone numbers or social media accounts. Moreover, if there’s a form to fill, you can do that and wait for them to get back to you.
Still no luck with any of the above methods? Then, it’s time to do a Google search and see where it will take you. At this point, Google is your best bet. Search with any piece of information you have about the person and see what you’ll get. It might be a long shot, but there’s nothing else to do. Any additional information you discover can help you in this search journey.
How to find out if the person has blocked you on WhatsApp?
We have talked about trying to add someone new to your WhatsApp contact list. But, how about the people you used to chat with on WhatsApp, but cannot find them anymore? Does that mean they have blocked you? Not necessarily.
The person might have deactivated or deleted their WhatsApp account. Check also if you have accidentally deleted their mobile number from your phone contact list. All these can be reasons for not finding the person on your WhatsApp contact list. The person you are searching for might also have changed their phone number that is associated with their WhatsApp account.
There’s no direct way to tell if someone has blocked you on WhatsApp. However, there are some indicators:
- You cannot see the person’s “Last Seen” time or online status in your chat.
- Their WhatsApp profile picture does not show anymore.
- When you send them a message on WhatsApp, you always get only one check mark. This means the message was sent but not delivered to them.
- Your WhatsApp calls to them do not go through.
There might be other reasons behind these scenarios, such as changes in privacy settings. So, do not jump to definitive conclusions. In all cases, try not to force yourself on others. Give them their space if they need some time out.
As long as something is online, there’s always a way of finding it. This goes for WhatsApp accounts and everything else.
