---
title: 5.6 Import WhatsApp Contacts
description: "Bulk-imports WhatsApp contact numbers from a CSV, XLS, or XLSX file."
url: "https://peikly.com/docs/import-contacts-peikly/"
updated: "2026-10-06"
category: "Contacts & CRM"
tags:
  - Manual sync
---

# 5.6 Import WhatsApp Contacts

## What This Feature Does

Bulk-imports WhatsApp contact numbers from a CSV, XLS, or XLSX file.

## Prerequisites

- Pro plan or higher.
- CompanyAdmin role, or TenantUser with import permission.
- An at least one configured WhatsApp phone number.
- A properly formatted import file.

## Step-by-Step Instructions

1. In the sidebar, click **Contact Management** → **All Contacts**.
2. Click the **Import** dropdown button.
3. Select **From CSV / Excel**.
4. Download the template file to see the required column layout.
5. Fill in the template with your contacts.
6. Upload your file using the file picker.
7. Click **Preview Import** to review the parsed rows.
8. Fix any highlighted rows (validation errors shown inline).
9. Click **Process Import** to complete the import.

## Errors, Messages, and Exceptions

| Message | Why It Happens | How to Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `You do not have permission to import contacts.` | TenantUser without import permission | Request permission from CompanyAdmin |
| `Enter a valid number that starts with + or 00 and contains 6-15 digits.` | Invalid phone format in a row | Correct the number in your file and re-upload |
| `Duplicate number in the current upload.` | Same number appears twice in your file | Remove duplicates from the file |
| `Fix the highlighted rows before importing.` | One or more rows failed validation | Correct all red rows and re-upload |
| `Imported {count} contacts.` | Success | Contacts are now in the CRM |

## Best Practices

- Use the downloaded template file — column headers must match exactly.
- Use international format for all phone numbers: `+1234567890`.
- Remove duplicates from your file before uploading.
- For large imports (1000+ rows), expect a short processing delay.