diff --git a/app/pages/messages/index.vue b/app/pages/messages/index.vue
index 423ffd3..8a0c085 100644
--- a/app/pages/messages/index.vue
+++ b/app/pages/messages/index.vue
@@ -70,6 +70,14 @@
               icon="i-lucide-search"
               class="flex-1"
             />
+            <button
+              @click="showNewChatModal = true"
+              class="text-xs px-2 py-2 rounded bg-[var(--wa-green)] hover:bg-[var(--wa-green-dark)] text-white"
+              title="Nueva conversacion"
+              :disabled="!selectedInstance"
+            >
+              <UIcon name="i-lucide-plus" class="w-4 h-4" />
+            </button>
             <button
               @click="showChatsDebug = !showChatsDebug"
               class="text-xs px-2 py-2 rounded bg-gray-700 hover:bg-gray-600 text-gray-300"
@@ -242,6 +250,57 @@
         </template>
       </div>
     </div>
+
+    <!-- New Chat Modal -->
+    <UModal v-model:open="showNewChatModal">
+      <template #content>
+        <div class="p-6 bg-[var(--wa-bg-dark)]">
+          <h3 class="text-lg font-semibold text-[var(--wa-text)] mb-4">
+            Nueva conversación
+          </h3>
+
+          <div class="space-y-4">
+            <div>
+              <label class="block text-sm text-[var(--wa-text-muted)] mb-2">
+                Número de teléfono
+              </label>
+              <UInput
+                v-model="newChatPhoneNumber"
+                placeholder="Ej: 50588887777"
+                icon="i-lucide-phone"
+                class="w-full"
+                @keyup.enter="startNewChat"
+              />
+              <p class="text-xs text-[var(--wa-text-muted)] mt-1">
+                Ingresa el número con código de país, sin espacios ni guiones
+              </p>
+            </div>
+
+            <div v-if="newChatError" class="text-sm text-red-400">
+              {{ newChatError }}
+            </div>
+
+            <div class="flex justify-end gap-2 pt-2">
+              <UButton
+                color="neutral"
+                variant="ghost"
+                @click="closeNewChatModal"
+              >
+                Cancelar
+              </UButton>
+              <UButton
+                color="primary"
+                :loading="newChatLoading"
+                :disabled="!newChatPhoneNumber.trim()"
+                @click="startNewChat"
+              >
+                Iniciar conversación
+              </UButton>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </template>
+    </UModal>
   </div>
 </template>
 
@@ -279,6 +338,12 @@ const showDebugPanel = ref(false)
 const showChatsDebug = ref(false)
 const showSelectedChatDebug = ref(false)
 
+// New chat modal state
+const showNewChatModal = ref(false)
+const newChatPhoneNumber = ref('')
+const newChatLoading = ref(false)
+const newChatError = ref('')
+
 // Instance options for selector
 const instanceOptions = computed(() =>
   instances.value
@@ -658,6 +723,54 @@ const handleReact = async (message: any, emoji: string) => {
   }
 }
 
+// New chat modal functions
+const closeNewChatModal = () => {
+  showNewChatModal.value = false
+  newChatPhoneNumber.value = ''
+  newChatError.value = ''
+}
+
+const startNewChat = async () => {
+  if (!selectedInstance.value?.value || !newChatPhoneNumber.value.trim()) return
+
+  newChatLoading.value = true
+  newChatError.value = ''
+
+  try {
+    const result = await $fetch(`/api/messages/${selectedInstance.value.value}/new-chat`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      body: {
+        phoneNumber: newChatPhoneNumber.value.trim()
+      }
+    })
+
+    if (result.success && result.chat) {
+      // If it's a new chat, add it to the list
+      if (result.isNew) {
+        chats.value.unshift(result.chat)
+      }
+
+      // Select the chat
+      selectedChat.value = result.chat
+
+      // Close the modal
+      closeNewChatModal()
+
+      toast.add({
+        title: result.isNew ? 'Conversación creada' : 'Conversación encontrada',
+        icon: 'i-lucide-check',
+        color: 'success',
+        timeout: 2000
+      })
+    }
+  } catch (e: any) {
+    console.error('Error creating new chat:', e)
+    newChatError.value = e?.data?.message || e?.message || 'Error al crear la conversación'
+  } finally {
+    newChatLoading.value = false
+  }
+}
+
 // Handle typing event from input
 const handleTyping = () => {
   if (!selectedChat.value?.jid || selectedChat.value?.isGroup) return
diff --git a/server/api/messages/[instanceId]/new-chat.post.ts b/server/api/messages/[instanceId]/new-chat.post.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bc74933
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/api/messages/[instanceId]/new-chat.post.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+/**
+ * POST /api/messages/:instanceId/new-chat
+ * Create or get a chat by phone number to start a new conversation
+ */
+import { query } from '../../../utils/database'
+import { baileysManager } from '../../../services/baileys/manager'
+import { randomUUID } from 'crypto'
+
+interface NewChatBody {
+  phoneNumber: string
+}
+
+export default defineEventHandler(async (event) => {
+  const username = getHeader(event, 'x-authentik-username')
+  if (!username) {
+    throw createError({ statusCode: 401, message: 'Unauthorized' })
+  }
+
+  const instanceId = getRouterParam(event, 'instanceId')
+  if (!instanceId) {
+    throw createError({ statusCode: 400, message: 'Missing instanceId' })
+  }
+
+  // Verify instance exists and is connected
+  const socket = baileysManager.getSocket(instanceId)
+  if (!socket) {
+    throw createError({ statusCode: 400, message: 'Instance not connected' })
+  }
+
+  const body = await readBody<NewChatBody>(event)
+
+  if (!body.phoneNumber?.trim()) {
+    throw createError({ statusCode: 400, message: 'Phone number is required' })
+  }
+
+  // Clean phone number: remove spaces, dashes, parentheses, and + prefix
+  const cleanNumber = body.phoneNumber.replace(/[\s\-\(\)\+]/g, '')
+
+  // Validate it's a numeric string
+  if (!/^\d+$/.test(cleanNumber)) {
+    throw createError({ statusCode: 400, message: 'Invalid phone number format' })
+  }
+
+  // Build WhatsApp JID (individual chat)
+  const jid = `${cleanNumber}@s.whatsapp.net`
+
+  try {
+    // Check if chat already exists
+    const existingChat = await query(
+      `SELECT id, jid, name, is_group, unread_count, last_message_at, last_message_type,
+              (SELECT COALESCE(content, caption) FROM messages m
+               WHERE m.chat_id = chats.id ORDER BY timestamp DESC LIMIT 1) as last_message
+       FROM chats
+       WHERE instance_id = $1 AND jid = $2`,
+      [instanceId, jid]
+    )
+
+    if (existingChat.rows.length > 0) {
+      // Chat exists, return it
+      const chat = existingChat.rows[0]
+      return {
+        success: true,
+        chat: {
+          id: chat.id,
+          jid: chat.jid,
+          name: chat.name || cleanNumber,
+          isGroup: chat.is_group,
+          unreadCount: chat.unread_count || 0,
+          lastMessage: chat.last_message,
+          lastMessageAt: chat.last_message_at,
+          lastMessageType: chat.last_message_type
+        },
+        isNew: false
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Chat doesn't exist, create it
+    const chatId = randomUUID()
+
+    // Try to get contact name from WhatsApp (optional, may fail)
+    let contactName = cleanNumber
+    try {
+      // Check if number exists on WhatsApp using onWhatsApp
+      const [exists] = await socket.onWhatsApp(jid)
+      if (!exists?.exists) {
+        throw createError({
+          statusCode: 400,
+          message: 'Este número no está registrado en WhatsApp'
+        })
+      }
+
+      // Try to get the push name or contact name
+      if (exists.notify) {
+        contactName = exists.notify
+      }
+    } catch (e: any) {
+      // If it's our validation error, rethrow
+      if (e.statusCode === 400) {
+        throw e
+      }
+      // Otherwise just use the number as name
+      console.log('[NewChat] Could not verify WhatsApp status:', e.message)
+    }
+
+    // Insert new chat
+    await query(
+      `INSERT INTO chats (id, instance_id, jid, name, is_group, unread_count, created_at, updated_at)
+       VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, false, 0, NOW(), NOW())`,
+      [chatId, instanceId, jid, contactName]
+    )
+
+    return {
+      success: true,
+      chat: {
+        id: chatId,
+        jid: jid,
+        name: contactName,
+        isGroup: false,
+        unreadCount: 0,
+        lastMessage: null,
+        lastMessageAt: null,
+        lastMessageType: null
+      },
+      isNew: true
+    }
+  } catch (e: any) {
+    // Rethrow HTTP errors
+    if (e.statusCode) {
+      throw e
+    }
+
+    console.error('[NewChat] Error creating chat:', e)
+    throw createError({
+      statusCode: 500,
+      message: `Error creating chat: ${e.message}`
+    })
+  }
+})