Sending a message to yourself on WhatsApp can be useful for making notes or reminders, saving information you want to access later, or testing WhatsApp features. While WhatsApp doesn’t have an official “send to self” feature, there are a few straightforward workarounds using group chats and contacts that allow you to text yourself on iPhone.
Use a Group Chat
The easiest way to send a WhatsApp message to yourself on iPhone is to create a group chat with only yourself as a participant. Here’s how to do it:
- Open WhatsApp and tap the Chats tab at the bottom.
- Tap the New Chat icon (it looks like a pencil and paper) in the top right.
- Tap New Group at the top of the screen.
- Tap New Group at the bottom of the screen.
- Type your own name in the To: field and tap Create.
You’ll now have a new group with only yourself as a member. Anything you send in this group will be visible only to you.
To send yourself a message, just open the group chat and type out your message like normal. The messages will be saved in the chat so you can refer back to them later.
The benefit of using a group chat is that it keeps your messages organized and separate from your other conversations. You can name the group something like “Notes to Self” to easily identify it.
Use a Saved Contact
Another way to send WhatsApp messages to yourself is by creating a contact with your own phone number and messaging that contact.
Here’s how to set it up:
- Open Contacts on your iPhone.
- Tap the + icon to create a new contact.
- Enter your own phone number and first/last name.
- Tap Done to save the contact.
Now when you open WhatsApp and start a new chat, you’ll see an option to message yourself under your own contact name. This works just like messaging any other contact.
The benefit of using a self-contact is that it doesn’t clutter up your chats with a separate group. The downside is that your self-messages will appear alongside your other conversations instead of being organized separately.
Use WhatsApp Web
If you prefer typing on a keyboard rather than your iPhone screen, you can also use WhatsApp Web to send messages to yourself:
- Open the WhatsApp app on your iPhone and tap Settings.
- Tap Linked Devices > Link a Device.
- Use your phone’s camera to scan the QR code on the WhatsApp Web screen.
- You will now be logged in to web.whatsapp.com on your computer.
- Open a chat with yourself using one of the methods above.
- Type and send messages in the chat to yourself.
The messages will sync between your phone and computer so you’ll see them in both places. This can be handy for drafting long messages more comfortably.
Use Siri
If you’re using iOS 12 or later, you can send a WhatsApp message to yourself by voice using Siri.
To set it up:
- Go to Settings > Siri & Search.
- Under Listen for “Hey Siri,” make sure Hey Siri is enabled.
- Under Allow Siri When Locked, choose Always.
Now you can say “Hey Siri” at any time to activate Siri, then say something like:
“Send a WhatsApp message to [your name], hello this is a reminder for tomorrow.”
Siri will send the message for you to the self-chat or contact you’ve set up.
Use Third-Party Apps
There are also third-party apps available that can make sending WhatsApp messages to yourself even easier. Some examples include:
- Watomatic (iOS) – Auto-responds to chosen keywords and allows sending scheduled messages.
- SKD – Schedule, Delay Send (iOS) – Schedule WhatsApp messages to be sent at specific dates and times.
- Dropcopy (Android) – Sends auto-replies when it detects chosen keywords.
- Schedule for WhatsApp (Android) – Schedules messages and auto-replies for chosen dates/times.
The functionality of these apps varies, but they generally allow you to automate sending messages to yourself or others. However, automated messaging should be used sparingly to avoid spamming.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you’re having trouble setting up self-messaging on WhatsApp, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure your iPhone number matches what’s listed in your WhatsApp account settings.
- Your phone may block you from creating a self-contact if your number is already listed in Contacts. Try using a secondary number like your work phone instead.
- Check that your iPhone software is up-to-date as older iOS versions may not fully support WhatsApp features.
- On an iPhone with dual SIM support, make sure to pick the correct SIM for your self-contact.
- If you have WhatsApp Business, use your standard WhatsApp account to create a self-chat.
- Try force quitting and relaunching WhatsApp if your self-chats disappear or stop working.
Conclusion
Sending WhatsApp messages to yourself is handy for reminders, notes, or safely storing information you want quick access to from your iPhone. The easiest options are using a group chat with just yourself or creating a self-contact. You can also utilize WhatsApp Web or third-party apps to schedule messages and auto-reply to yourself.
With the simple methods above, you can set up solo WhatsApp chats on your iPhone to act as quick personal reference guides or reminders accessible right from your Home screen. So next time you need to send a message for your eyes only, you’ve got several options to text yourself on WhatsApp.
Here is some example data in a table:
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Group Chat | – Separate from other chats – Named for easy access |
– Additional chat to check |
| Self Contact | – No separate chat needed | – Self messages mixed with conversations |
| WhatsApp Web | – Use keyboard for long messages | – Need computer access |
| Third-Party Apps | – Automated responses – Scheduled messages |
– Potential spam risks – Additional cost may apply |