How to send a WhatsApp message on iPhone without adding a user to contacts

There are two ways to set up quick access to this feature.

By default, WhatsApp only allows you to start a new chat with users you already have in your contacts. This is inconvenient if you only need to write a few messages and don't plan any further communication. Fortunately, iPhone users have a couple of ways to avoid piling up contacts like "Tom, the iPhone salesman" and "Anastasia to ask about counters." We tell you about each of them in detail.

Method 1: Using the Commands app

Instead of taking active steps whenever you need to send a message without adding the user to your contacts, it's better to create a quick command once to start such chats in a few seconds. To do this:

1. Make sure you have WhatsApp installed on your smartphone and are logged in to your account.
2. Open the Commands app (pre-installed on your iPhone; if you uninstalled it, download it from the App Store). In the My Commands tab, tap the + icon in the upper right corner.
3. Click on the Search for software and actions line. In the open window, scroll to the Send messages on WhatsApp option and click on it.
4. Complete the command: click on the field to the left of the Recipient and select Ask each time. Then set the command's name and, if desired, change the icon.
5. Click the cross icon to close the command editing. This will save the changes.
6. Done: now, all you have to do is click on the button with the command you created and then on Select Recipient to enter the recipient's phone number and start communicating.

You can activate the command not only manually in the app but also using Siri. If you often send messages to users you do not want to add to your contacts, you can add a shortcut to the command on the desktop. To do this, open the command settings, tap Share, and then select Home screen.

After that, you won't have to open the Commands app every time: all you have to do is press one button, insert the number, and start communicating.

Method 2: Safari Favorites

This method is very similar to the previous one, only instead of a command, we will create and edit a shortcut in Safari. This method is safe because it relies on the API of WhatsApp itself — that is, it provides faster access to the messenger function itself.

• Open Safari and go to any page.
• Click the Share icon and select Add to Favorites. You can immediately change the title to something like WhatsApp Message. Select Save.
• Open the Safari home page. Here, tap and hold the shortcut you just created until the context menu appears. Select Modify.
• Click the cross-shaped icon in the Address section to delete the previously saved link and paste the following code into the field:

javascript:(function(){
var phone = prompt("Who do you want to text?", "9876543210");
if (phone != null) {
window.location.href = "https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=" + phone;
}
})();

• Click Save.

All you have to do now is click on this tab to send a new message. It will open the number entry interface on top of the last page you opened in Safari: just replace 9876543210 with the number you want and press OK.