How to Fix WhatsApp Contact Names Mixed Up After Phone Transfer?
When you transfer WhatsApp to a new phone, you may notice that while the chat pictures remain correct, the contact names get mixed up. For instance, a chat with Chris might now appear as Nick. This happens because WhatsApp mismatches phone numbers and names after transferring data to a new device.
The main reason for this problem is a bug in WhatsApp’s contact-matching process during migration to a new phone. It can also occur if you have duplicate contacts saved, if your contacts are being synced from multiple sources, or if WhatsApp doesn’t have the necessary permissions to access your contact list properly.
If you recently switched to a new phone and observed incorrect contact names, you are not alone. Many people experience this issue after moving their WhatsApp data. Interestingly, the profile pictures remain accurate while the names do not match the correct contacts. For example, someone saved as “Chris” might now appear as “Nick,” and even your own number could display as another person’s name.
This issue affects both Android and iPhone devices. It occurs because WhatsApp merges contact data from your device and its own server records, but a mismatch on the server side leads to these errors.
Disabling and re-enabling WhatsApp’s contact sync removes incorrect contact pairings. When you turn sync back on, WhatsApp refreshes its data and correctly matches the names with the right phone numbers.
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Privacy.
- Select Contacts.
- Toggle off “WhatsApp contacts”.
- Press the confirmation button Delete.
- Completely close WhatsApp. If necessary, force stop the app from your phone’s settings.
- Reopen WhatsApp. Your contacts should now appear with the correct names.
