--- title: "The Valid WhatsApp Field & Smart Lists" description: "Learn how the Valid WhatsApp field confirms which contacts are reachable on WhatsApp and how to build smart lists that target them." url: https://help.aesthetixcrm.com/en/articles/1675-the-valid-whatsapp-field-and-smart-lists collection: "Contacts, Compliance & Analytics" updated: 2026-07-06 language: en --- # The Valid WhatsApp Field & Smart Lists Learn how the Valid WhatsApp field confirms which contacts are reachable on WhatsApp and how to build smart lists that target them. The Valid WhatsApp field lets you see, at a glance, whether a contact's phone number is active on WhatsApp. For a busy practice running WhatsApp campaigns, appointment reminders, or follow-up outreach, this means you can focus your messaging on patients you can actually reach, improve deliverability, and avoid wasted sends to numbers that are not on WhatsApp. ## Understanding the Valid WhatsApp Field The Valid WhatsApp field lives at the contact level and reflects the WhatsApp availability of that contact's phone number. It has three possible statuses: - **Is Valid** – The phone number is active on WhatsApp, so you can send messages to this contact successfully. - **Is Invalid** – The phone number is not available on WhatsApp, so the contact cannot receive WhatsApp messages. - **Is Not Validated** – The system has not yet confirmed whether the phone number is active on WhatsApp. This may require further validation before messaging the contact. ## How the Valid WhatsApp Field Is Updated The status updates automatically in real time based on messaging activity. You cannot set it manually. - **When a message is successfully delivered on WhatsApp** – The contact is automatically marked as **Is Valid**. - **If a message fails to deliver or encounters Meta issues** – The contact is marked as **Is Invalid**. - **When a contact initiates a WhatsApp message** – The status updates to **Is Valid**, confirming in real time that the contact has actively engaged over WhatsApp and that their number is valid. - **If there is no conversation over WhatsApp** – The status stays at **Is Not Validated** until further interaction occurs. > **Note:** Because the field updates automatically from delivery outcomes and contact activity, you never need to maintain it by hand. ## Ways to Use the Valid WhatsApp Field - **Filter contacts efficiently** – Segment contacts by their WhatsApp status. For targeted outreach, filter on **Is Valid** to reach active WhatsApp users only. - **Optimize your smart lists** – Build the Valid WhatsApp field into your smart lists for more tailored communication strategies. - **Gain better insight** – Understand the responsiveness and engagement levels of your WhatsApp contacts. Using this field, you can ensure you are messaging only active WhatsApp users, avoid sending to inactive or non-WhatsApp numbers, and identify numbers that still need validation before you message them. The result is better efficiency, stronger deliverability, and higher engagement. ## How to Add the Valid WhatsApp Column to the Contacts Page Adding the column lets you see each contact's WhatsApp status directly in your Contacts list. ### Step 1: Go to Contacts Click **Contacts**. ![1 To start off, click here.](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/J6D1CfeZBph76T0qfsBll.jpg&x=182&y=502&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 2: Open Columns Click on **Columns**. ![2 Afterwards, click on "Columns".](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/t_njYfVUiItmViqFLtPd7.jpg&x=2228&y=116&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 3: Search for Valid WhatsApp Search **Valid WhatsApp**. ![3 Click here.](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/01NA5W-F6H9Ge6187S9KM.jpg&x=2378&y=182&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 4: Select Valid WhatsApp Click on **Valid WhatsApp** to add it as a column. ![4 Click on the element.](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/b-7C3603yWbBKm_rYl-HT.jpg&x=2157&y=285&fill=000000&color=000000) ## How to Create a Smart List That Targets WhatsApp-Reachable Contacts This smart list captures contacts that are either **Valid** or **Not Validated** on WhatsApp, giving you a reliable audience for WhatsApp campaigns. Not Validated contacts are included because the system has not yet determined whether they are on WhatsApp, usually because there is no WhatsApp conversation history yet, so they may still be reachable. ### Step 1: Go to Contacts Click **Contacts**. ![1 Click here.](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/qDfinYRSO0FiWUM6Gpv3D.jpg&x=187&y=499&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 2: Open More Filters Click on **More Filters**. ![2 Click on the element.](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/kPAJxoUaS0J5Fy8CXccqn.jpg&x=2463&y=118&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 3: Choose Valid WhatsApp Click on **Valid WhatsApp**. ![3 Once that's done, click on "Valid Whatsapp".](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/K4wrEjANQEr1GpMxLAiLD.jpg&x=2538&y=380&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 4: Select Valid Click on **Valid**. ![4 Click on "Valid".](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/Ljl-bFb7TUAfYvMEnzocR.jpg&x=2568&y=449&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 5: Apply the Filter Click on **Apply**. ![5 Click on "Apply".](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/qSVswGTDWPqgfvVVQqWO3.jpg&x=2797&y=1301&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 6: Add an OR Condition Click on **OR**. ![6 Click on "OR".](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/OEXzCEnFjFXI6n7JXfAI2.jpg&x=2321&y=480&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 7: Search for Valid WhatsApp Search for **Valid WhatsApp**. ![7 Click here.](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/ET3cy87irfSPlKth_aahE.jpg&x=2525&y=261&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 8: Select Valid WhatsApp Click on **Valid WhatsApp**. ![8 Click on "Valid Whatsapp".](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/xqwEWC_h2Zx1DAYLlkzPl.jpg&x=2547&y=444&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 9: Choose Is Not Validated Click on **is not validated**. ![9 Next up, click here.](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/aiHB7z6huBSRcxxnMlhj5.jpg&x=2321&y=473&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 10: Apply the Filter Click on **Apply**. ![10 Click on "Apply".](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/rzvrnvjclhDDTFWX9EWCg.jpg&x=2787&y=1305&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 11: Save as a Smart List Click on **Save as smart list**. ![11 Click on "Save as smart list".](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/Y-mGJ9Ya3BmkTaT-TsCLm.jpg&x=2587&y=1316&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 12: Name the Smart List Enter a name for your smart list. ![12 Once that's done, click here.](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/7H0eMJMDfMrh8JK4PiUO6.jpg&x=1180&y=267&fill=000000&color=000000) ### Step 13: Save Click on **Save**. ![13 Following that, click on "Save".](https://d16ev9qffqt5qm.cloudfront.net/?s3_key=cler469gb03fhtd0h2cgr839h/uSLWvJWoWYmhxVPJbg5Qr.jpg&x=1803&y=382&fill=000000&color=000000) > **Note:** This smart list updates dynamically as soon as a contact becomes active or inactive on WhatsApp, so your audience always reflects current WhatsApp status. Use it to send your WhatsApp campaigns. For more ways to organize, filter, and segment your patients, see the **Contacts** collection. ## Frequently Asked Questions **What is the Valid WhatsApp field?** It is a contact-level field that tells you directly whether a contact's phone number is registered and active on WhatsApp. **What do the different Valid WhatsApp values mean?** - **Valid:** The contact has an active WhatsApp account. - **Invalid:** The contact's number is not currently on WhatsApp. - **Not Validated:** The system has not yet confirmed whether the number is on WhatsApp. **How does the Valid WhatsApp status get updated?** It updates automatically. When you send a message successfully, the status changes to Valid. When message delivery fails, it changes to Invalid. When a contact messages you on WhatsApp, their status instantly changes to Valid. **How often are these fields updated?** The fields update in real time based on the scenarios above. **Can I manually update the WhatsApp status of a contact?** No. The system updates the status automatically based on contact interactions and message delivery outcomes. **Can I filter my contacts based on their WhatsApp status?** Yes. There is a dedicated Valid WhatsApp filter you can use to see only the contacts you can reach on WhatsApp, and you can save that filter as a smart list. **Why include Not Validated contacts in a WhatsApp smart list?** Not Validated simply means the system has not yet confirmed whether the contact is on WhatsApp, usually because there is no conversation history yet. Including them ensures you still reach contacts who may well be reachable on WhatsApp.