Different formats of phone numbers on WhatsApp

If you work with customer contacts in Brazil, you may have noticed that sometimes phone numbers show up on WhatsApp in different formats. For example, some numbers appear as (00) 90000-0000 (with the 9th digit), while others show up as (00) 0000-0000 (without the 9th digit). This can be confusing - especially when your business relies on capturing the correct number for reservations or registrations.

Why does this happen?

This issue mainly happens because of how WhatsApp (owned by Meta) handles phone numbers, combined with differences in how Brazilian phone carriers format numbers. In Brazil, most mobile numbers now use a 9th digit (usually a “9” at the start), but some regions or older numbers may still appear without it. WhatsApp sometimes mixes these formats, depending on the region (like DDD 19 or 21) and the information it receives from the mobile carriers.

What’s the impact?

For businesses, this inconsistency can cause problems:

  • Duplicate or missing contacts: A number with and without the 9th digit might be treated as two different people.

  • If your system expects the 9th digit and it’s missing, the information might not be saved correctly.

Can we fix this?

Unfortunately, there’s no perfect solution right now. The issue comes from how WhatsApp and the phone carriers handle the numbers, and it’s not something businesses can control directly. We have already reported this to WhatsApp/Meta, but their response is that it’s a carrier issue.

We’ve tried some workarounds, like automatically adding the 9th digit or matching numbers in different formats. However, this can create new problems, because WhatsApp may treat these as completely different numbers.

What can you do?

  • Double-check numbers: Always confirm with the customer if you’re unsure.

  • Use apps or bots: Some tools can help standardize numbers, but they’re not foolproof.

  • Stay updated: We’re keeping an eye on this issue and will update our process if WhatsApp or the carriers make improvements.

If you have any questions or suggestions, we’re here to help!

Product Team