> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.chatsyncs.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Import Subscribers Manually

> How to add a single subscriber to ChatSyncs by hand from Subscriber Manager's Create Subscriber action, without them having to message the bot first — including the exact phone number format required (country code, no plus sign, no spaces).

## When to add a subscriber manually

Use **Create Subscriber** when you need one contact in ChatSyncs right now and importing a whole
file is overkill — a walk-in customer, a lead from a phone call, or someone you want to label,
message, or enroll in a Sequence before they've ever messaged the bot themselves. For more than
a handful of contacts, [Import Using CSV](/learn/subscriber-manager-import-csv) or
[Import from Google Sheets](/learn/subscriber-manager-import-google-sheets) is faster.

## Create a subscriber

<Frame caption="Options dropdown with Create Subscriber highlighted.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/chatsyncs/BiPpkpYpGl2GKenp/images/learn/whatsapp-subscriber-manager/step-12-create-subscriber-highlighted.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=BiPpkpYpGl2GKenp&q=85&s=47dc37dc4551f8dc6ed022f861661ebd" alt="Options dropdown with Create Subscriber highlighted" width="1270" height="541" data-path="images/learn/whatsapp-subscriber-manager/step-12-create-subscriber-highlighted.png" />
</Frame>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Options → Create Subscriber">From the Subscriber Manager list, open **Options**, then **Create Subscriber**.</Step>
  <Step title="Enter the subscriber's Name">Type their name into the **Name** field.</Step>
  <Step title="Enter the subscriber's Phone Number">Type the number in the exact format below — see the Warning.</Step>
  <Step title="Save">Click **Save** — the subscriber appears in the list immediately.</Step>
</Steps>

<Frame caption="The Create Subscribers modal — Name and Phone Number fields, with a Save button.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/chatsyncs/lFqgjNQNkYZPhQla/images/learn/whatsapp-subscriber-manager/step-16-create-subscriber-modal.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=lFqgjNQNkYZPhQla&q=85&s=f374d2710559afe64029ef867d857af9" alt="Create Subscribers modal with Name and Phone Number fields filled in, and Save/Close buttons" width="1263" height="540" data-path="images/learn/whatsapp-subscriber-manager/step-16-create-subscriber-modal.png" />
</Frame>

<Warning>
  **Enter the phone number with the country code and no plus sign or spaces** — e.g. `91`
  followed directly by the number, like `919876543210`, not `+91 9876543210` or `91 98765 43210`.
  ChatSyncs matches subscribers by this exact number format, so an inconsistent format can create
  a duplicate subscriber instead of updating the existing one.
</Warning>

**Expected result:** The new subscriber appears in the Subscriber Manager list right away, with
the same status and filters as any imported or bot-acquired subscriber — ready to be labeled,
messaged, or enrolled in a Sequence.

**Notes:** The Create Subscriber modal only takes a **Name** and **Phone Number** — there's no
custom field input at creation time. To fill in a custom field for a manually-created
subscriber, either add it from their profile afterward, or bring them in through a
[CSV](/learn/subscriber-manager-import-csv) or [Google Sheet](/learn/subscriber-manager-import-google-sheets)
import instead, where extra columns become custom fields automatically.

## Frequently asked

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What phone number format does Create Subscriber expect?">
    Country code directly followed by the number, with no `+`, spaces, or other punctuation —
    e.g. `919876543210` for an Indian number. See the Warning above.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="When should I use this instead of a CSV or Google Sheet import?">
    For one or two contacts at a time — a walk-in, a phone lead, someone you want in the system
    before they've messaged the bot. For more than a handful, bulk import is faster and less
    error-prone.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I fill in a custom field while creating a subscriber manually?">
    No — the Create Subscriber modal only takes Name and Phone Number. Add custom field data
    afterward from the subscriber's profile, or import them via CSV/Google Sheet instead, where
    extra columns are picked up as custom fields automatically.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I enter the phone number in the wrong format?">
    ChatSyncs matches subscribers by the exact number format it expects. An inconsistent format
    (missing country code, added `+`, extra spaces) risks creating a duplicate subscriber
    instead of finding the existing one.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related Documentation

* [Subscriber Manager](/learn/whatsapp-subscriber-manager) — the subscriber list and full
  Options menu.
* [Import Using CSV](/learn/subscriber-manager-import-csv) — for bulk-importing more than a
  handful of contacts.
* [Import from Google Sheets](/learn/subscriber-manager-import-google-sheets) — importing
  straight from a connected Google Sheet or Google Contacts.
* [Custom Fields and Labels](/learn/subscriber-manager-custom-fields-and-labels) — adding
  structured data to a subscriber after creation.