Welcome to the guide for the Legacy WhatsApp Bulk Sender! This powerful feature allows you to send the same message to multiple contacts from a saved contact list (called a Campaign). Think of it like sending a newsletter or announcement to many people at once – you compose your message once, and the app delivers it to everyone on your list automatically!

How it works: This feature uses Android’s Accessibility Service to automate the process of sending messages through WhatsApp. You compose your message, select a contact list, and the app opens WhatsApp and sends messages to each contact one-by-one, just like you would do manually – but automatically!

1. Getting Started: Composing Your Message

Before sending messages, you’ll first need to create your content in the message composition screen.

Opening the Sender

1. Navigate to Sender: Find and tap the “Sender” option in your app’s main menu or navigation drawer.
2. You’ll see the message composition screen with a text box and options to add media attachments.

Writing Your Message

1. Type your message in the large text box provided.
2. Character Limit: WhatsApp allows up to 4,096 characters per message. The app will show a warning if your message is too long.
3. Recommended Length: For better delivery rates, try to keep messages under 2,000 characters.

Personalizing Your Messages

You can make each message feel personal by including the recipient’s name!

1. Tap the “Add Template” button (usually a tag icon).
2. Choose “First Name” or “Last Name” – a special placeholder will be inserted.
3. Example: If you type “Hello <first_name>, how are you?” – each recipient will see their own name in the message!

Note: The name will only appear if you have saved names for your contacts in the campaign.

2. Adding Photos, Videos, or Files

You can attach media to your messages to make them more engaging.

Adding Images or Videos

1. Tap the “+” button (or the gallery/attachment icon).
2. Select “Images/Videos” from the popup options.
3. Browse and select the photos or videos you want to send.
4. Multiple selection: You can select several files at once.
5. Preview: Your selected media will appear as thumbnails on the screen.

Adding Documents or Files

1. Tap the “+” button.
2. Select “Files” from the options.
3. Browse and select any document (PDF, Word, Excel, etc.).

Removing Attachments

Changed your mind? Tap the “Clear All” button (usually a trash icon) to remove all attachments and start fresh.

3. The Unsubscribe Option

This is an important feature for respecting your recipients’ preferences.

What is the Unsubscribe Option?

When enabled, a special message is added to the end of your text that tells recipients how to stop receiving messages from you. For example: “Reply STOP to unsubscribe.”

How to Use It

• The checkbox is enabled by default – we recommend keeping it on!
• If you uncheck it: A warning will appear reminding you about the importance of giving people a way to opt out.
• Required Setup: You need to have at least one unsubscribe message saved in the app. If none exists, you’ll be prompted to create one.

Important: For the unsubscribe feature to work, the app needs “Notification Access” permission. This allows the app to detect when someone replies with “STOP.”

4. Selecting a Contact List (Campaign)

After composing your message, you need to choose who will receive it.

How to Select

1. Tap the “Send” button at the bottom of the composition screen.
2. You’ll see a list of your saved campaigns (contact lists).
3. Each campaign shows:
   • The name of the contact list
   • Number of contacts in the list
   • Status (active/inactive)
4. Tap on a campaign to start sending messages to those contacts.

No campaigns? You’ll see a message saying no campaigns are available. Go back and create a campaign first by importing contacts or using the Group Contacts Extractor feature.

5. Before Sending: Validation Checks

The app performs several important checks before starting to send messages.

Accessibility Service Check

The app needs a special permission called “Accessibility Service” to be able to send messages automatically.

• If not enabled: You’ll see a message asking you to enable it in Settings.
• How to enable: Go to your phone’s Settings → Accessibility → Find the app → Turn it ON.

Contact Validation

The app checks if your contacts are properly synced with WhatsApp.

• A progress bar will show while contacts are being validated.
• If some contacts aren’t synced: You’ll see a warning showing how many contacts might not receive the message.
• Your options:
  • “Send Anyway” – Proceed with sending to all contacts
  • “View Details” – See which contacts have issues
  • “Cancel” – Go back and fix the issues first

WhatsApp Installed Check

The app verifies that WhatsApp (or WhatsApp Business) is installed on your device.

Permission Checks

Various permissions may be requested:

• Notification permission (Android 13+): Required for the app to show progress notifications.
• Storage permissions: Required if you’re sending media attachments.

6. The Sending Process

Once all checks pass, the magic begins!

What Happens Next

1. WhatsApp opens automatically on your device.
2. The app navigates to each contact’s chat automatically.
3. Your message is typed into the message box.
4. The send button is tapped automatically.
5. The process repeats for each contact in your list.

Important: Keep your screen on during the sending process! The app cannot send messages if your phone goes to sleep. The app will try to keep the screen on, but make sure battery optimization is disabled for the app.

Delays Between Messages

The app automatically adds random delays between messages (typically 10-15 seconds) to:

• Prevent WhatsApp from detecting unusual activity
• Make the sending pattern look natural
• Reduce the risk of account issues

7. Monitoring Progress

You can track how your campaign is doing.

What You’ll See

• Progress in notifications: A notification shows how many messages have been sent.
• Dashboard: After sending, you can view detailed results in the campaign summary.
• Success count: Number of messages successfully sent.
• Fail count: Number of messages that couldn’t be delivered.

8. Viewing Sending History

The app keeps a record of all your sending activities.

Timeline View

The bottom section of the Sender screen shows your recent sending sessions:

• Date and time of each session
• Message preview
• Number of contacts targeted
• Success/failure counts

Deleting History

You can remove old entries by swiping left on any timeline item, or use the menu option to clear all history.

9. Troubleshooting Tips

• Messages not sending:
  • Ensure Accessibility Service is enabled for the app.
  • Make sure WhatsApp is up to date.
  • Check your internet connection.
  • Disable battery optimization for both this app and WhatsApp.
• “Accessibility Service not running”:
  • Go to Settings → Accessibility → Find the app → Enable it.
  • Some phones may require you to enable it each time after a restart.
• Screen keeps turning off:
  • Increase your screen timeout in phone settings.
  • Disable battery optimization for the app.
  • Keep your phone plugged in while sending.
• Contacts showing as “not synced”:
  • These contacts may not have WhatsApp or have a different phone number.
  • Try sending anyway – the app will skip contacts that can’t be reached.
• Message is too long:
  • Shorten your message to under 4,096 characters.
  • Consider breaking long messages into multiple shorter ones.

10. Tips for Best Results

• Start small: Test with a small group first before sending to your entire list.
• Keep messages short: Under 2,000 characters is ideal.
• Personalize: Use the name placeholders to make messages feel personal.
• Respect unsubscribes: Always include the unsubscribe option.
• Don’t overdo it: Avoid sending too many messages in one day.
• Good timing: Send during appropriate hours for your recipients.
• Quality contacts: Keep your contact lists clean and up-to-date.

11. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use WhatsApp while messages are being sent?

A: No. The app needs to control WhatsApp to send messages. Using WhatsApp manually will interrupt the process.

Q: Will WhatsApp ban my account?

A: The app adds delays to mimic natural usage, but sending too many messages too quickly can trigger WhatsApp’s spam detection. Use responsibly and in moderation.

Q: Can I stop the sending process once it starts?

A: Yes! Press your phone’s Back button or close the app to stop. However, messages already sent cannot be unsent.

Q: Why do some messages fail?

A: Messages may fail if the recipient has blocked you, their number is no longer on WhatsApp, or there was a temporary connection issue.

Q: Can I send to groups using this feature?

A: This feature is designed for sending to individual contacts. For group messaging, use the dedicated group features in the app.

Q: How many messages can I send at once?

A: There’s no hard limit in the app, but WhatsApp may restrict accounts that send too many messages. We recommend not exceeding 100-200 messages per day to stay safe.

Welcome to the Legacy Group Contact Grabber guide! This feature allows you to automatically collect phone numbers from any WhatsApp group you’re a member of. Unlike the modern WA Group Contacts Extractor, this legacy method uses your phone’s accessibility features to read contact information directly from the WhatsApp app itself.

What makes this “Legacy”? This method works by watching what’s on your screen through a special phone feature called “Accessibility Service.” It reads phone numbers as you scroll through the group member list. While effective, it’s considered “legacy” because newer methods exist that work differently.

1. Before You Start

There are a few things you need to set up before you can grab contacts from WhatsApp groups.

Enabling the Special Service

The app needs a special permission called “Accessibility Service” to be able to see what’s on your WhatsApp screen.

1. Open Your Phone Settings: Find the gear icon (⚙️) on your phone.
2. Find Accessibility: Look for “Accessibility” or “Additional Settings” → “Accessibility”.
3. Find WBS or WB Sender: Look for our app in the list of installed services.
4. Turn It On: Flip the switch to enable the service.
5. Confirm Permission: A message will appear explaining what the service can do. Tap “OK” or “Allow” to confirm.

Safety Note: This permission allows the app to see what’s on your screen only when WhatsApp is open. The app only reads group member information and doesn’t access your personal messages or other apps.

Granting Contact Permission

The app may also ask for permission to access your contacts. This helps the app:

• Match phone numbers with names you already have saved.
• Avoid duplicating contacts you already know.
• Save the grabbed contacts to your phone’s contact list (optional).

When prompted, tap “Allow” to grant contact access.

2. Starting the Group Grabber

Once permissions are set up, here’s how to grab contacts from a WhatsApp group:

Step-by-Step Process

1. Open the App: Launch WBS/WB Sender on your phone.
2. Navigate to Group Grabber: Find “Legacy Group Grabber” or “Group Contact Grabber” in the menu.
3. Tap Start: The app will prepare to capture contacts.
4. Switch to WhatsApp: Open WhatsApp on your phone (either regular WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business).
5. Open a Group Chat: Navigate to any group from which you want to collect phone numbers.
6. Open Group Info: Tap on the group name at the top to see group details and the member list.
7. Scroll Slowly: Slowly scroll through the list of group members. The app reads each member’s phone number as they appear on screen.
8. Wait for Completion: A floating indicator will show you how many contacts have been collected. When you’ve scrolled through all members, the collection will finish automatically.

Pro Tip: Scroll slowly and steadily! If you scroll too fast, some contacts might be missed because the screen changes before the app can read them.

3. Reviewing Collected Contacts

After the grabbing process completes, you’ll automatically be taken to a review screen where you can see all the contacts that were collected.

What You’ll See

• Group Name: The name of the WhatsApp group appears at the top (e.g., “Contacts from: Family Group”).
• Contact List: Each collected member is shown with their name and phone number.
• Checkboxes: Every contact has a checkbox – checked means it will be saved.
• Select All / Unselect All: Use the header checkbox to quickly select or deselect everyone.

Understanding Contact Names

Contacts may appear with different types of names:

• Saved Contact Name: If the person is already in your phone contacts, their saved name will show.
• WhatsApp Profile Name: If you don’t have them saved, their WhatsApp name is used.
• Auto-Generated Name: For members without a visible name, the app creates one like “GroupName_1”, “GroupName_2”, etc.

Selecting Which Contacts to Keep

• Keep All: By default, all collected contacts are selected. Simply proceed to save.
• Remove Specific People: Uncheck the box next to anyone you don’t want to save.
• Start Fresh: Uncheck the “Select All” header box, then individually select only those you want.

4. Editing Contacts

Before saving, you can make changes to individual contacts.

Adding Contacts Manually

Did the grabber miss someone? You can add them manually:

1. Tap the floating “+” button (bottom right corner).
2. A menu option will appear: “Add More Contacts”.
3. Tap it to open a form where you can enter a name and phone number.
4. Fill in the details and tap “Save”.
5. The new contact appears in your list.

Deleting Unwanted Contacts

Need to remove multiple contacts at once?

1. Select the Contacts: Check the boxes next to contacts you want to remove.
2. Tap “Delete Selected”: Press the red delete button at the top of the screen.
3. Confirm: A confirmation popup will appear. Tap “OK” to delete.

Warning: Deleted contacts cannot be recovered! You would need to run the grabber again if you accidentally delete needed contacts.

5. Saving Contacts as a Campaign

A “Campaign” is a saved list of contacts that you can use later for sending bulk messages.

Premium Feature: Saving contacts requires a Premium subscription. Free users can view grabbed contacts but cannot save them as campaigns.

How to Save

1. Review Your Selection: Make sure all the contacts you want are checked.
2. Tap “Save As…”: Press the purple/accent-colored save button at the top.
3. Name Your Campaign: A popup appears with the group name pre-filled. You can change it to anything you like (e.g., “Gym Buddies”, “Project Team”, etc.).
4. Check the Count: The popup shows exactly how many contacts will be saved.
5. Tap “Save”: Wait while your contacts are being saved.

Progress Indicator

While saving, you’ll see a progress bar showing:

• Current step: “Getting group ID…” then “Saving contacts…”
• Progress percentage: How close to completion.

After Saving Successfully

Once saved, a success message appears with two choices:

• “Start Sending Messages”: Takes you directly to the message sending screen to use your new contact list immediately.
• “Manage Campaign”: Takes you to the campaign management area where you can view, edit, or send later.

6. Status Indicators

During the grabbing process, you may see various indicators:

Floating Popup (During Collection)

• Contact Count: Shows how many phone numbers have been captured so far.
• Status Messages: May show “Scrolling…”, “Processing…”, or “Completing…”

Progress Card (On Review Screen)

• Loading Spinner: Appears briefly when processing grabbed contacts.
• Hidden when ready: Disappears once all contacts are displayed in the list.

7. Troubleshooting

No Contacts Captured

• Check Accessibility Service: Make sure the app’s accessibility service is enabled in phone settings.
• Restart the Service: Try turning the accessibility service off and on again.
• Scroll Slower: If you scrolled too fast, try again more slowly.
• Ensure Group Info is Visible: You must be on the group info screen (where members are listed), not just in the chat.

Some Contacts Missing

• Scroll All the Way: Make sure you scrolled through the ENTIRE member list, from top to bottom.
• Scroll Steadily: Avoid jumping or flicking – use smooth, slow scrolling.
• Try Again: Sometimes network delays cause issues. Retry the process.
• Add Manually: Use the “+” button to add any missing contacts by hand.

App Crashes or Freezes

• Clear App Cache: Go to phone Settings → Apps → WBS/WB Sender → Clear Cache.
• Restart Your Phone: A simple restart can fix many issues.
• Update the App: Make sure you have the latest version from the Play Store.

Permission Issues

• “Contacts Permission Denied”: Go to phone Settings → Apps → WBS/WB Sender → Permissions → Enable Contacts.
• Accessibility Service Keeps Turning Off: Some phones have battery optimization that disables accessibility services. Exclude the app from battery optimization in settings.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is my WhatsApp account safe when using this feature?

A: Yes! This feature only reads publicly visible information from group member lists. It doesn’t log into WhatsApp or change anything – it simply reads what’s already on your screen.

Q: Will group members know I grabbed their numbers?

A: No. The process is completely invisible to other users. There are no notifications sent to anyone.

Q: What’s the difference between this and the “WA Group Contacts Extractor”?

A: The Legacy Group Grabber (this feature) uses accessibility services to read your screen. The newer WA Group Contacts Extractor uses WhatsApp Web linking technology. Both achieve the same result – grabbing group contacts – but work in different ways.

Q: Can I grab from WhatsApp Business groups?

A: Yes! The grabber works with both regular WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business.

Q: What if someone in the group has a hidden phone number?

A: If someone has hidden their phone number in WhatsApp privacy settings, it won’t be visible in the group member list and therefore can’t be captured.

Q: Is there a limit to how many contacts I can grab?

A: There’s no set limit. You can grab contacts from groups with hundreds of members. Just scroll through the entire list patiently.

Q: Why does it ask for “Overlay” permission?

A: The overlay permission allows the app to show you the floating progress indicator while you’re scrolling through WhatsApp. It helps you see how many contacts have been captured without switching apps.