LibreContacts: Add WhatsApp profile photos to your phone contacts. | Product Hunt

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LibreContacts: Add WhatsApp profile photos to your phone contacts. | Product Hunt

LibreContacts gallery image

LibreContacts gallery image

LibreContacts gallery image

Launch tags:

iOS•Chrome Extensions•Productivity

Launch Team

@roel_kramer How is the secure connection between the browser and the phone app realized? I assume the Chrome extension is gathering the data (contact names, phone numbers, images) and then providing a link via the shown QR code. The phone app then downloads an (hopefully encrypted?) bundle and parses the information comparing it to the phone's local contacts?

6yr ago

LibreContacts

Maker

@boettges Hi Peter, thanks for trying the app! (This is an answer to the previous question in the same comment) Does the QR Code look like the QR code displayed in the purple box of the first screenshot? If not, you probably have to connect web.whatsapp.com to your phone first by following the instructions on the screen. Then try again!

6yr ago

@roel_kramer Hey, thanks for your reply. The issue was resolved. At fist I didn't know that the the displayed number of contacts was a button to start the synchronisation/transfer. I edited my initial post and replaced it with a question regarding how the data transfer is managed. So far it worked flawlessly! Furthermore some feedback: It would be great, if the app would remember the choice made for each contact, whether the WhatsApp profile image or the local one should be kept. According filter options in the app would also be great to minimize the work to go through the entire list.

6yr ago

LibreContacts

Maker

@boettges the app uses WebRTC for device-to-device communication. This means the data is send from your browser to your phone directly. Contact data is not uploaded to a server, or any other download url somewhere on the internet. In fact, it does not work with download urls. Sending of data (usually) happens on your local network. All communication is encrypted of course. A simplified example: The extension has a unique id (e.g.: "abcefg123456") which it communicates via the QR-Code to the app. Then a "handshake" has to be arranged at some place so connection-details can be exchanged. This handshake has to be done on a server, my server. This is according to WebRTC specification. After the handshake, data can be send between the app and browser without servers in between. Handshake example: - Browser sends a message to the server: Hi! I would like to exchange my local ip with an app identifying itself as: abcdefg123456. I am available at 192.168.0.1. - App messages server: Hi! i am abcdefg123456 i am available at 192.168.0.2 - Server messages both app and browser: you can message each other at 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.0.2 No contact data has been send, all that has been done is that the app and browser are introduced to each other and both know how to send messages to each other. Sending of data example: - Then the app speaks to the browser directly: Hey i'd like to connect with you i am abcdefg123456. - Browser says to the app: nice to meet you! - App says to the browser: give me the contacts. - Browser says to app: here is a package with the contacts

6yr ago

@roel_kramer This is a very helpful explanation! It would be amazing to have this in an FAQ section in the app and your website. Also I would put this in a triangle-diagram (browser, phone, your server) to explain it to users with just a quick glance. Mentioning WebRTC in the description would also be helpful to establish a certain level of trust. Great app, it really solved a long standing problem for me. Thank you for the work!

6yr ago

LibreContacts

Maker

@boettges thanks for the feedback. Great to hear the app solves a problem :) I will mention the WebRTC explanation on the website or on the extension/app download pages. About the remembering choices: it is on my backlog.

6yr ago

LibreContacts

Maker

I built this mainly to scratch my own itch, many contacts do not have recent photo's or no photos at all. And it annoyed me. I am aware that installing a chrome extension and an app to make this work is not ideal, but it really is the only way to get whatsapp data. The transfer of contact-data is directly between the browser and the app (using WebRTC). No contact information is sent to any server. Privacy is important to me.

6yr ago

@roel_kramer hello, I can´t sincronize contacts,, I scaned QR code and show me connecting... but it stay freeze. could you help me? thanks

5yr ago

LibreContacts

Maker

@gustavo_cruz1 I did reproduce the problem on my company network with macos catalina with the latest chrome version (79). Also running ios 13.3. Which versions are you on?

5yr ago

@roel_kramer Hi, thanks for you reply. I have IOS 13.3 and in chrome: Versión 78.0.3904.108 (Build oficial) (64 bits)

5yr ago

LibreContacts

Maker

@gustavo_cruz1 i fixed it today. Enjoy!

5yr ago

@roel_kramer Hi, I had to change my laptop, but now I can´t install chrome extension , any solution? thks

5yr ago

@roel_kramer la aplicacion no me funciona, la extension de crhome parece no funcionar al dia de hoy podrias revisarlo? utilizo iphone y me gustaria usar su app

6yr ago

LibreContacts

Maker

@pilar_es_hogar Hola Pilar, gracias por tu comentario. Yo acabo de probarlo y parece funcionar correctamente. ¿Qué es lo que no te funciona exactamente? ¿Estás segura que has conectado WhatsApp correctamente a web.whatsapp.com? WhatsApp se conecta correctamente cuando puedes enviar mensajes desde Chrome a contactos de tu lista. @pilar_es_hogar Hi Pilar, thanks for your report. I just tried it and it seems to work fine. What exactly is not working? Are you sure you connected WhatsApp properly to web.whatsapp.com? WhatsApp is successfully connected when you can actually send messages from Chrome to people in your contact list.

6yr ago

@roel_kramer @roel_kramer gracias por contestar! Cuando abro la App y quiero realizar el scan qr en LibreContacts me aparece que es inválido y probé muchas veces y no continúa, tengo la extensión instalada pero no logro sincronizar

6yr ago

LibreContacts

Maker

@pilar_es_hogar I really want to help you, but i need some more details on what is not working. What exactly is not working for you? What does the app say? Does it hang at "Connecting", or does it not recognise the QR code? Can you post a screenshot of the app somewhere? Also: what kind of iPhone do you have and which iOS version do you have. Thanks!

6yr ago

@roel_kramer Gracias por contestar rapidamente, adjunto capturas de pantalla con el error, tengo iPhone 7 con la version de IOS 12.4.1 https://subefotos.com/ver/?5a770... https://subefotos.com/ver/?e0003... si quiero ingresar a whatsapp web de forma normal con la extension no se puede, si desactivo la extension si funciona normal. desde ya muchas gracias!

6yr ago

LibreContacts

Maker

@pilar_es_hogar I Appreciate your effort! I am not a native Spanish speaker, I get help from a Spanish colleague when reading your comments, so if you can reply in English, that would be really helpful. About your problem: First connect WhatsApp to your Chrome-browser. Read the instructions in your browser first. It explains how to connect WhatsApp, or read Spanish instructions here: https://faq.whatsapp.com/en/web/.... After that is done, another QR code shows up, in a purple box with a LibreContacts logo next to it. That is the one you should scan with the LibreContacts App. I understand it can be confusing at first, both WhatsApp and my App need a QR code.

6yr ago