Link your WhatsApp.
Keep the conversation with the contact.

Create your add-on account

Open your companion workspace, choose Create account, and verify your email using the code sent to you. Sign in, then choose Generate browser activation code.

This login is separate from your Contatta login. Testing is free; no payment details are required.

Add the browser extension

For Chrome or Edge, follow the steps below. For Safari on Mac, use the Safari testing instructions.

1. Download the browser extension and unzip it.
2. Open Extensions → Manage extensions in your browser and enable Developer mode.
3. Choose Load unpacked and select the extracted extension folder.
4. Open the extension’s Options / Extension options. Paste your app activation code and choose Activate browser.

The activation code expires after five minutes and can only be used once. Generate a new one if needed.

Use the add-on in Safari on your Mac

The Safari development build is available for testing. It is not yet signed with an Apple Developer identity or distributed through the App Store. Safari requires your explicit approval to run it.

1. Download the Safari extension resources and unzip them into a folder you will keep.
2. In Safari, open Settings → Advanced and enable Show features for web developers.
3. Open Settings → Developer and enable Allow unsigned extensions. Approve using your Mac authentication only if you trust this test build.
4. On Safari versions offering Add Temporary Extension…, click it and select the extracted extension folder. Check the WhatsApp extension is enabled in Settings → Extensions.
5. Open Contatta. When Safari asks, choose Always Allow on This Website for app.contatta.com.
6. Open the extension’s Settings, activate your add-on account and pair your local companion using the steps below. Safari uses its own browser activation and pairing.

Update your companion: download the latest companion, stop the old running instance, and start the updated copy. Keep your existing companion data folder. Older builds do not accept Safari connections.

Safari may require unsigned-extension approval again after restarting. If temporary extensions are not available in your Safari, the macOS testing app and Xcode project are also available. Do not bypass a macOS security warning; build the source in Xcode instead. A regular signed customer release still requires Apple developer signing.

After setup, continue with the local companion, QR linking, and importing into the correct contact.

Start the local companion

1. Install Node.js 24 or newer.
2. Download the local companion and unzip it.
3. On macOS, open Start Companion.command. Keep its Terminal window open while using the importer.
4. Open local phone setup on the same computer.

The setup page runs on your own computer, rather than on this website.

Link WhatsApp by scanning the QR code

1. On the local phone setup page, choose Start WhatsApp.
2. Open WhatsApp on your phone. On iPhone, go to Settings → Linked Devices → Link a Device. On Android, open the ⋮ menu → Linked devices → Link a device.
3. Use your phone to scan the QR code displayed on your computer. Unlock or confirm on your phone if asked.
4. Allow time for available conversations and messages to arrive.

A QR code may expire. Start the connection again to obtain a fresh one. Never share the QR code or pairing codes with anyone.

Pair your browser with this computer

On the local phone setup page, generate a browser pairing code. Return to the extension’s settings, paste it into Local pairing code, then choose Pair browser.

There are two different codes: the website’s activation code enables the add-on account; the local pairing code connects the browser to the companion running on this computer.

Import into the right Contatta contact

1. Sign in to Contatta in the browser where you installed the extension.
2. Open the specific contact’s page, then choose Import WhatsApp.
3. Choose Load conversations. Search for the contact, select their WhatsApp conversation, and check the name and phone number carefully.
4. Choose Link and preview new messages. This links that conversation to this specific Contatta contact.
5. For your first test, select one message and choose Import selected Notes. Check the saved Note in that contact’s history.
6. Once confirmed, import more selected messages or choose Import all new WhatsApp Notes for this linked conversation.

Each message becomes a saved WhatsApp-labelled Note with its original date and sender. Contatta’s history date is the date of import. The messages stay in Contatta after you close the companion.

Add the contact’s WhatsApp photo

After linking the correct conversation, choose Import WhatsApp photo. Review the photo in Contatta’s Edit Avatar form, then click Contatta’s Save. A photo may be unavailable because of the contact’s WhatsApp privacy settings.

Next time: import what is new

Start the local companion, open the contact in Contatta, and use Import WhatsApp again. Confirmed imports are skipped using the ledger on this computer. This testing build imports when you ask; it does not automatically sync incoming messages.

Keep the companion’s data folder when updating or reinstalling. It contains your WhatsApp link and duplicate protection. If an import stops during a save, check the last Note in Contatta before retrying.

Need a hand?

Local setup page will not open

Start the companion and leave its Terminal window open. Use the same computer and visit http://127.0.0.1:8879/.

No import button in Contatta

Check the extension is enabled in your browser, activate it and pair the companion, then reload a signed-in contact page.

Missing older messages

WhatsApp controls which history is available to a linked device. The importer can only show messages received by the companion.

Wrong contact or conversation

Stop before importing. Open the correct Contatta contact and explicitly link the correct WhatsApp conversation.

Disconnect WhatsApp

On your phone, open Linked Devices, select the companion device and log it out. Notes already saved in Contatta remain there.