Who knew over a decade ago that WhatsApp, the free texting app meant to connect you with friends and family, would become the go-to destination for all your communication needs? Whether you need to reach out to your communities or require a reliable platform for video calls, WhatsApp has you covered.
With hundreds of new features and updates every year, WhatsApp has made us dependent on it for everything.
While it offers an unrivalled texting experience, the wide availability of fast mobile internet has also led more people to rely on WhatsApp’s free calling service. Unlike the services offered by network carriers, WhatsApp’s calls solely rely on internet connectivity and come with the added security of end-to-end encryption. It even bypasses the hassles of roaming charges, which makes it a preferred calling platform for overseas travellers.
That said, it isn’t as easy as a regular phone call to dial a number and connect over a call on WhatsApp. The service only allows one to make calls and send messages to those whose contact details have been saved on your device. If an unknown contact has sent you a message, you can respond with a text or a voice/video call. However, you cannot make a WhatsApp call to an unsaved contact.
Meta’s development teams have identified an issue here and have now decided to address it with an upcoming update. Soon, you will be able to call anyone over WhatsApp without needing to save contact details or employ a couple of hacks.
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Making WhatsApp calls to unsaved numbers made easy
The primary reason why you cannot make a call to an unknown number on WhatsApp is the lack of a dialer. Hence, the developers at WhatsApp are now testing a dialler option to let people dial up unsaved numbers.
A leaked screenshot obtained by WABetaInfo, a reliable source for all the leaks related to upcoming features and updates on WhatsApp, reveals the dialler’s interface.
Spoiler alert! It looks like a conventional dialler that’s already present on your phone. It’s not that WhatsApp has the potential to reinvent the phonebook dialler. Or do they? I guess we will have to wait.
📝 WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.9.28: what's new?
WhatsApp is working on an in-app dialer feature, and it will be available in a future update!https://t.co/0dQKF9ARA7 pic.twitter.com/TtCTIOvjP9
— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) April 23, 2024
Nonetheless, a dialer in WhatsApp will go a long way in reducing the hassle of calling anyone. While this upcoming WhatsApp feature has been spotted so far on the Android app only, we also expect the developer team to release it to iOS users in the future.
But how do I make my life easier till then?
Until WhatsApp’s developers bring a dedicated dialler to the app, there are a few hacks to make calls without saving the contact details. While none of them let you make a call directly to an unsaved number, you get the option to do it through a chat window. The hacks work on both Android devices and iPhones.
1. Use WhatsApp’s browser link
WhatsApp’s API allows us to use a browser link for directly initiating a chat window with an unsaved contact number.
– Head over to your web browser and type the following web address:
https://wa.me/ [your country code] [your unsaved phone number]
For example, if you have to make a phone call to 9123456789 and the connection is based in India (country code is +91), your link will be:
https://wa.me/919123456789
– Type this link with your unsaved phone number in the browser and hit enter. You will be directed to a WhatsApp page that throws up a prompt that leads you to the WhatsApp app. Click on ‘Open’.
– WhatsApp will now open a chat window with your unsaved contact number. You can tap on the phone call option to initiate a voice call. You can also initiate a video call.
However, this will work only on your smartphones as Whatsapp Web doesn’t support calling yet.
2. Download apps to cut short the complexities of Hack 1
Since the first hack could be confusing for many, you can rely on third-party apps to make it easier. You can try apps like WhatsDirect and Click to Chat to initiate a chat window with an unsaved contact and head over to the calling features.
These apps are free to use and available on the official app stores.
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(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Freestocks via Unsplash)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Can you call an unsaved number on WhatsApp?
You cannot call an unsaved number directly on WhatsApp. However, you can use the wa.me browser link API as well as apps like Click to Chat to open a chat window with an unsaved number and initiate a call.
