NIX Solutions: WhatsApp Introduces Cloud-Based Contacts

WhatsApp has introduced a new feature that allows contacts to be stored in the messenger’s cloud. With this change, when connecting a new device, users will no longer need to transfer their contacts manually — they will automatically appear in the app.

NIX Solutions

Currently, WhatsApp still relies on the phone book stored locally on the user’s device. If someone new sends a message, their contact details are saved on the device. However, the upcoming feature will allow users to access contacts across all platforms, including the web version and Windows client. These contacts will also sync with the phone’s local list.

Improved Access and Security with IPLS

The ability to store contacts in the cloud builds on last year’s feature that lets users access two WhatsApp accounts on a single device. Storing contacts in the cloud offers a more practical way to manage personal and business accounts separately. WhatsApp ensures the security of this process with the Identity Proof Linked Storage (IPLS) system. When a contact is saved, an encryption key is generated on the device. The identifier of the primary device for that account will be required to retrieve the contact data later.

Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp, has partnered with Cloudflare to enhance security. Cloudflare applies a digital signature to any changes made to the encrypted contact directories, ensuring the highest level of data protection.

Future Contact Features on WhatsApp

This new technology will also support the upcoming feature that links contacts to usernames, adds NIX Solutions. This change will allow users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers, enhancing privacy. “Thanks to this, you will be able to communicate without disclosing your phone number, and correspondence will become more confidential,” WhatsApp shared on its blog.

Competitors such as Signal and Telegram have already integrated usernames into their platforms. WhatsApp’s continuous updates align with these trends, and we’ll keep you updated as the company introduces further improvements.