WhatsApp is launching a feature allowing users to save contacts within the app, independent of the smartphone’s address book.

The feature is currently available on WhatsApp Web and Windows, with plans to extend to other linked devices in the future.

This contact management system aims to help users who lose devices or handle multiple accounts.

Contacts will be stored using Identity Proof Linked Storage, a technology designed to encrypt information, ensuring accessibility only to the user.

WhatsApp also intends to introduce a username system, removing the necessity for phone numbers. This is similar to features in apps like Signal.