Why Do Phone Numbers Sometimes Appear Differently in TimelinesAI vs WhatsApp?
Sometimes phone number for a contact displays with or without an extra digit (for example, an extra “9” in Brazil, or a missing “1” in Mexico) depending on whether they view the contact in WhatsApp Mobile/Web versus TimelinesAI or connected CRMs. This article explains why TimelinesAI automatically formats some phone numbers and how it aligns with official WhatsApp rules.
WhatsApp has published guidelines for phone number formatting in certain countries, notably Brazil (+55), Mexico (+52), and Argentina (+54). Over the years, these countries have changed their national numbering plans, requiring users to add or remove a digit when placing or routing calls.
Brazil (+55): Mobile numbers in certain regions must add a “9” after the regional code (e.g., +55 11 9XXXX-XXXX).
Mexico (+52): WhatsApp requires inserting a “1” after “+52” for mobile lines, resulting in a total length of 12 digits after the country code.
Argentina (+54): WhatsApp requires a “9” between the country code and the local code, and removing “15” if it appears at the start of the local number (e.g., +54 9 XXX XXX XXXX).
For more details, refer to: Official WhatsApp FAQ article about phone number formatting
TimelinesAI follows a “clean” or “standard” format based on WhatsApp’s official guidelines whenever a new or existing number appears in one of the countries mentioned above. Specifically:
Brazil (+55):
If the area code is known to require 9 digits for mobile lines (e.g., +55 11, +55 12 … +55 19, +55 21, +55 22, +55 24, +55 27, +55 28, etc.) and the number is missing that extra “9,” TimelinesAI inserts it to follow the official recommendation.
If the number has 1 digit too many for fixed lines, the system trims it to match the standard 12- or 13-digit length.
Mexico (+52):
WhatsApp requires mobile numbers to have a “1” after “+52” (for instance, +52 1 333 333 3333).
TimelinesAI automatically converts numbers to this standardized format upon sending or receiving messages.
Argentina (+54):
WhatsApp requires inserting a “9” after the country code and removing any leading “15” from the local number. This yields a total of 13 digits (e.g., +54 9 XXX XXX XXXX).
TimelinesAI enforces this whenever creating or syncing an Argentine contact.
Because of these automatic conversions, TimelinesAI may display a phone number differently from how it appears in a user’s native WhatsApp Mobile app. Sometimes, WhatsApp Mobile may show a “legacy” or regionally-formatted number, whereas TimelinesAI ensures it is always stored in a standard, universally recognized format.
A: WhatsApp Mobile may display a contact’s number in its previously saved or “historical” format—especially if the contact was stored in the phone’s address book before local rules changed. Internally, WhatsApp can still route messages correctly. In contrast, TimelinesAI always shows the standardized, official number to ensure consistency when sending messages and syncing contacts with CRMs.
A: Currently, TimelinesAI automatically converts phone numbers to the standardized format required by WhatsApp for actual message sending and contact storage. This ensures no error in delivery and helps with CRM integrations. Also, we implement a smart comparison that recognizes numbers in legacy format stored in CRM and prevents creating duplicated contacts due to mismatch. If you run into any issue related to this, please contact our support.
A: This only affects how the phone number is stored and displayed. Other data (contact names, emails, notes) remain unchanged.
A: The conversion generally occurs upon first sync or when a new message is sent. Existing messages in TimelinesAI will reference the standardized number, but the actual chat history in your WhatsApp account will remains intact.
Background
WhatsApp has published guidelines for phone number formatting in certain countries, notably Brazil (+55), Mexico (+52), and Argentina (+54). Over the years, these countries have changed their national numbering plans, requiring users to add or remove a digit when placing or routing calls.
Brazil (+55): Mobile numbers in certain regions must add a “9” after the regional code (e.g., +55 11 9XXXX-XXXX).
Mexico (+52): WhatsApp requires inserting a “1” after “+52” for mobile lines, resulting in a total length of 12 digits after the country code.
Argentina (+54): WhatsApp requires a “9” between the country code and the local code, and removing “15” if it appears at the start of the local number (e.g., +54 9 XXX XXX XXXX).
For more details, refer to: Official WhatsApp FAQ article about phone number formatting
How TimelinesAI Handles Phone Numbers
TimelinesAI follows a “clean” or “standard” format based on WhatsApp’s official guidelines whenever a new or existing number appears in one of the countries mentioned above. Specifically:
Brazil (+55):
If the area code is known to require 9 digits for mobile lines (e.g., +55 11, +55 12 … +55 19, +55 21, +55 22, +55 24, +55 27, +55 28, etc.) and the number is missing that extra “9,” TimelinesAI inserts it to follow the official recommendation.
If the number has 1 digit too many for fixed lines, the system trims it to match the standard 12- or 13-digit length.
Mexico (+52):
WhatsApp requires mobile numbers to have a “1” after “+52” (for instance, +52 1 333 333 3333).
TimelinesAI automatically converts numbers to this standardized format upon sending or receiving messages.
Argentina (+54):
WhatsApp requires inserting a “9” after the country code and removing any leading “15” from the local number. This yields a total of 13 digits (e.g., +54 9 XXX XXX XXXX).
TimelinesAI enforces this whenever creating or syncing an Argentine contact.
Because of these automatic conversions, TimelinesAI may display a phone number differently from how it appears in a user’s native WhatsApp Mobile app. Sometimes, WhatsApp Mobile may show a “legacy” or regionally-formatted number, whereas TimelinesAI ensures it is always stored in a standard, universally recognized format.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do I see an extra “9” in TimelinesAI but not in my WhatsApp Mobile app?
A: WhatsApp Mobile may display a contact’s number in its previously saved or “historical” format—especially if the contact was stored in the phone’s address book before local rules changed. Internally, WhatsApp can still route messages correctly. In contrast, TimelinesAI always shows the standardized, official number to ensure consistency when sending messages and syncing contacts with CRMs.
Q: Is there a way to preserve my exact existing format?
A: Currently, TimelinesAI automatically converts phone numbers to the standardized format required by WhatsApp for actual message sending and contact storage. This ensures no error in delivery and helps with CRM integrations. Also, we implement a smart comparison that recognizes numbers in legacy format stored in CRM and prevents creating duplicated contacts due to mismatch. If you run into any issue related to this, please contact our support.
Q: Does this affect contact names or other CRM fields?
A: This only affects how the phone number is stored and displayed. Other data (contact names, emails, notes) remain unchanged.
Q: Will older chats or messages be impacted by this conversion?
A: The conversion generally occurs upon first sync or when a new message is sent. Existing messages in TimelinesAI will reference the standardized number, but the actual chat history in your WhatsApp account will remains intact.
Updated on: 05/03/2025
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