How to extract contacts from WhatsApp group
Nowadays, more and more people are creating WhatsApp groups based on common interests, topics, or goals. These groups are not just for communication and sharing daily information; they have also become a valuable source of business opportunities and potential customers. For businesses or salespeople, joining WhatsApp groups in relevant fields can help them reach their target audience, understand customer needs, and ultimately find potential clients.
However, to make the most of the information in these groups, extracting the contacts of group members becomes crucial. How to extract contacts from WhatsApp group? This article will explore how to extract or export contacts from WhatsApp groups.
Extracting WhatsApp Group Contacts Using Browser Developer Tools
This method is suitable for users with a certain level of technical knowledge. It uses the browser's developer tools to extract group contacts. By following this method, you can extract group contacts from WhatsApp Web on your computer. The specific steps are as follows:
Preparation
You will need the following:
- Your WhatsApp account
- A computer
- A browser with developer tools (e.g., Google Chrome)
- Your phone
Step 1: Log into WhatsApp Web
Use your computer's browser to visit web.whatsapp.com, and scan the QR code with the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app on your phone to log into your WhatsApp account.
Open WhatsApp Web
Step 2: Open Browser Developer Tool
There are three ways to open the browser's developer tools:
- Right-click on the page and click Inspect.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+I (Windows) or Cmd+Option+I (Mac) to open the Developer Tools.
- Press the F12 key.
Open browser developer tool
Step 3: Navigate to the Target WhatsApp Group
In WhatsApp Web, find and open the target WhatsApp group chat from which you want to extract contacts.
Step 4: Use the Element Tool to Select the Group Contacts
In the developer tools window, click on the "Elements" tab. Locate the part of the page containing the group contacts. You may need to browse through the page's HTML structure.
Use the Element tool to select the group contacts
Step 5: Find and Copy the Text Containing Contacts
In the developer tools window, find the text containing the group contacts, double-click the text with the left mouse button, and right-click the text to bring up the menu and select Copy.
Find and copy text containing contacts
Step 6: Use a Text Splitter Tool to Extract Contacts
Paste the copied HTML text into an online text splitter, using these tools to extract phone numbers. You may need to clean up the data slightly for use.
Use a text splitter tool to extract contacts
Although this method allows you to extract contacts, it does have certain limitations. First, since it involves using browser developer tools, it may pose a challenge for users who are not familiar with technical processes. Additionally, this method is not perfect—sometimes the extracted data format may not be ideal and may require manual organization afterward. As such, this method is better suited for small groups or users who do not have high precision requirements.
Next, we will introduce another more convenient method—extracting WhatsApp group contacts using a Chrome extension, which is simpler and easier for regular users to use.
Extracting WhatsApp Group Contacts Using Chrome Extension
There are some extensions in the Chrome Web Store that may make this easier for you.
With DealsUpp - Contact Saver for WA, you can extract contacts from multiple WhatsApp groups at the same time and save it in CSV, JSON, Xlsx, or VCard formats to meet various use cases.
Preparation
You will need the following:
- Your WhatsApp account
- A computer
- Google Chrome browser
- Your Phone
Step 1: Install the Contact Saver for WA Extension
Go to the Chrome Web Store and search for DealsUpp - Contact Saver for WA. Click on the extension's page, then click "Add to Chrome" to install it.
Install the extension
Step 2: Log into WhatsApp Web
Use your computer's browser to visit web.whatsapp.com, and scan the QR code with the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app on your phone to log into your WhatsApp account.
Open WhatsApp Web
Step 3: Open the Extension
In the browser toolbar, find the DealsUpp - Contact Saver for WA icon and pin it. Then, click the extension icon.
Open the DealsUpp Extractor
Step 4: Select the Groups You Want to Extract and Configure Export Settings
Select Groups, use the search bar to find and check the WhatsApp groups you want to export, configure whether to include group admins, and choose the file format for the export.
Select the Groups You Want to Extract
Once everything is ready, click the 'Extract' button.
Step 5: Save the Exported File to a Specified Folder
Save the exported file to a specified folder on your computer.
Conclusion
While WhatsApp itself does not provide a direct feature for extracting contacts from group members, we can still achieve this efficiently with the help of developer tools and third-party extensions. For businesses and salespeople, being able to extract potential customer contacts from groups is undoubtedly a valuable step toward increasing business opportunities and improving sales performance. However, when using these tools, it's essential to be mindful of legality and privacy concerns to ensure that the extraction and usage of information comply with relevant regulations.
I hope this article has provided you with valuable insights and guidance to help you extract the contacts you need from WhatsApp groups and open up more business opportunities. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section.