Unblocking someone on WhatsApp is easy, but deleting their contact information permanently can be a bit more complicated. Here are the steps to delete an unblocked contact’s details from your WhatsApp account.
Open WhatsApp and go to your contacts list
First, open the WhatsApp app on your phone. Tap on the Calls tab at the bottom and select Contacts at the top of the screen. This will show you your full contacts list within WhatsApp.
Find the unblocked contact you want to delete
Scroll through your contacts list until you locate the unblocked contact you want to remove. Tap on their name to open their contact profile.
Tap on the three dots icon
At the top right of the contact profile screen, you’ll see three vertical dots. Tap on this icon to open the contact options menu.
Select Delete Contact
In the options menu, choose Delete Contact. This will immediately delete the unblocked contact’s details and all chat history from your WhatsApp account.
Confirm the deletion
WhatsApp will ask you to confirm that you want to delete this contact. Tap Delete to complete the removal process.
Check that the contact is gone
Return to your contacts list and make sure that the unblocked contact no longer appears. This confirms they are deleted from your WhatsApp account.
Important notes about deleting unblocked contacts
- Deleting an unblocked contact only removes them from your WhatsApp, it does not block them again.
- The contact can message you again if they still have your number saved in their phone’s contacts.
- All past chat history with this contact will be erased when you delete them.
- If you only want to clear chat history, use the Clear Chat option instead.
How to delete unblocked contacts on WhatsApp Business
The process is essentially the same for deleting contacts on WhatsApp Business accounts:
- Open WhatsApp Business and go to the Contacts tab.
- Find the unblocked contact you want to remove.
- Tap the three dots icon next to their name.
- Select Delete Contact from the menu.
- Confirm deletion when prompted.
This will permanently erase that contact’s details and chat history from your business account.
Can I recover deleted unblocked contacts?
Unfortunately, once you delete an unblocked WhatsApp contact, there is no built-in way to recover their details. Some things to keep in mind:
- The contact’s chat history will be gone forever when deleted.
- If you delete by accident, the only way to get their info again is to ask them to share their details with you again.
- There are no backups or Trash folders to retrieve deleted contacts.
- However, if the contact still has your number, they can message you again to re-establish the chat.
Tips for managing your unblocked contacts
Here are some useful tips for cleaning up and organizing your WhatsApp contacts list:
- Back up your WhatsApp data occasionally so you have a copy of all contacts and chats.
- Be selective when deleting unblocked contacts – only remove ones you are sure you no longer need.
- Use the Favorites feature to pin your most important contacts to the top of your list.
- Check your contacts list every few months and delete old unblocked contacts you no longer communicate with.
- If you want to retain chat history, export the chat before deleting the contact.
How to export chat history before deleting an unblocked contact
If you want to keep a record of your conversations with an unblocked contact before deleting them, you can export the chat history:
- Open the chat with the contact you will delete.
- Tap More Options > Export Chat.
- Choose to export with or without media.
- Share the export file to your desired destination.
- Then delete the contact when ready.
This exported chat archive lets you retain a copy of your message history for future reference.
Can I mass delete multiple unblocked contacts?
WhatsApp does not have a built-in feature to mass delete multiple contacts at once. However, there are some workarounds:
- Manually delete each contact one by one. Tedious but guaranteed to work.
- Use a third party contact manager app to delete WhatsApp contacts in bulk.
- Back up chat history, then delete and reinstall WhatsApp to wipe all contacts.
- Clear WhatsApp data through your phone’s App Settings, then selectively re-add contacts.
The manual deletion method is safest if you just want to remove a few specific unblocked contacts from WhatsApp.
Can I delete unblocked contacts from my computer?
WhatsApp’s desktop app and web version do not have options to manage your contacts. Here are the only ways to delete unblocked contacts without using your phone:
- Install a third party desktop manager like WazzapMigrator that can delete WhatsApp contacts.
- Request the contact to block you, removing you from their end.
- Clear your WhatsApp data on your phone to erase all contacts.
- Delete and reinstall the WhatsApp mobile app to reset contacts.
But it’s typically easier to open WhatsApp on your phone and delete unblocked contacts directly within the app.
Can I delete someone’s contact info without removing the chat history?
When you delete a contact in WhatsApp, it also erases the chat history by default. But there are a couple of methods you can use to delete only their contact details while preserving the message history:
- Export chat before deleting contact.
- Clear contact details but use “Clear Chat” not “Delete Contact.”
- Delete contact then use a third party app to merge back the chat history.
- Back up chat to Google Drive, delete contact, restore chat history.
However, this is not possible directly within WhatsApp. You would need third party tools to selectively delete contact details but retain conversations.
What happens when I delete an unblocked contact?
Here’s an overview of what happens when you delete an unblocked contact on WhatsApp:
- The contact is permanently removed from your WhatsApp contacts list.
- All one-on-one and group chats with that contact are deleted.
- Their contact details like phone number are erased from your WhatsApp address book.
- Any profile photos, media, or files exchanged with that contact are deleted.
- Your messages are also deleted from the contact’s WhatsApp on their end.
- You can no longer send or receive WhatsApp messages and calls with this contact.
In essence, deleting an unblocked WhatsApp contact severs all messaging capabilities with them through the app. They are gone from your account.
Conclusion
Deleting unblocked contacts on WhatsApp removes all traces of them from your account. While there is no built-in way to recover deleted contacts, you can export the chat history before removing a contact for future reference. Be cautious when deleting as the action is permanent. With hundreds of millions of users, WhatsApp has become the world’s most popular messaging app. Understanding how to manage your WhatsApp contacts list, including deleting unblocked contacts you no longer need, is an important skill for effectively using the platform.