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Understanding WhatsApp LID (@lid)

LID (Link ID) is a new identifier used by WhatsApp to hide a user's phone number. Instead of: plain text 56985037389@s.whatsapp.net you may now see: plain text 15230822099072@lid -…

Updated Apr 15, 2026

✨ What Is @lid?

LID (Link ID) is a new identifier used by WhatsApp to hide a user's phone number.

Instead of:

56985037389@s.whatsapp.net

you may now see:

15230822099072@lid

Key points

  • LID is created by WhatsApp, not ChatDaddy.

  • It is assigned per WhatsApp account, NOT per group.

  • The same user will always show the same LID across chats.

  • It is part of WhatsApp's ongoing privacy update.

📍 Where Does @lid Appear?

WhatsApp now shows @lid in:

1. Group Chats & Communities

This happens when:

  • Admins enable “Hide phone numbers”, or

  • The conversation is part of a Community with stricter privacy.

2. Individual Chats (New WhatsApp Behavior)

WhatsApp recently began masking phone numbers in 1:1 chats, even with:

  • Existing contacts

  • Saved numbers

  • Previously normal conversations

👉 This is entirely controlled by WhatsApp, not by ChatDaddy.

🔒 Why Is WhatsApp Using LIDs?

WhatsApp is upgrading privacy protections. When a phone number is hidden:

  • WhatsApp replaces the number with a LID

  • Only WhatsApp’s system and the contact owner can see the real number

  • ChatDaddy receives the same masked data that WhatsApp sends

Because the data comes from WhatsApp already masked, it cannot be unmasked or corrected from our side.

📌 Important: This Does NOT Affect Your ChatDaddy Operations

  • You can still message @lid users normally

  • Messages still deliver successfully

  • Automation, inbox assignment, and replies all work

  • Only the displayed identifier is affected

This is not an error, but WhatsApp returning restricted or “corrupted” placeholder data during their rollout.

🖼 Example of How It Looks in ChatDaddy

Image

This is expected behavior during WhatsApp's privacy update rollout.

🛠 Can ChatDaddy Fix This?

Unfortunately no — because:

  • WhatsApp is deliberately masking the numbers

  • The LID is generated and enforced by WhatsApp

  • ChatDaddy cannot override or modify WhatsApp’s returned data

We are monitoring the rollout, but this behavior is controlled fully by WhatsApp.

📘 Summary

  • @lid is a new, privacy-focused identifier from WhatsApp

  • It appears in both group chats and individual chats

  • It does not cause message or automation failures

  • It cannot be removed or fixed from ChatDaddy’s side

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