WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. Given its widespread use, many WhatsApp users have likely blocked someone on the app at some point.
This raises the question – if you delete your WhatsApp account, does that remove you from all blocked contacts lists? Let’s explore this in more detail.
How blocking works on WhatsApp
When you block someone on WhatsApp, it prevents them from:
- Seeing your last seen and online status
- Calling you or sending you messages
- Adding you to groups
- Viewing your profile photo
Essentially, blocking cuts off all communication from that person to you on WhatsApp.
Blocking someone on WhatsApp is easy – you can find the block option in the contact info screen for any chat. Once blocked, you won’t receive any notifications from that contact.
Does deleting WhatsApp remove you from all blocked contacts lists?
When you delete your WhatsApp account, your contacts will see you disappear from their contacts list in the app. However, you will still remain on any blocked contacts lists.
So deleting WhatsApp does not remove you from being blocked by other users. You will remain blocked by anyone who previously blocked you.
Why you remain blocked after deleting WhatsApp
There are a couple reasons why you stay blocked even after deleting WhatsApp:
- WhatsApp’s servers still store the block
- Blocking is tied to your phone number
First, the app’s servers keep a record of all blocked contacts. So even if you delete your account, the server will still have your number stored as blocked.
Second, blocking is connected to your phone number. So as long as the number you had WhatsApp connected to remains blocked, any new WhatsApp accounts with that number will also be blocked.
How to get unblocked on WhatsApp after deleting account
If you want to get unblocked by contacts after deleting your WhatsApp account, you have two options:
- Get the other user to unblock you
- Change your phone number
The only way to fully remove yourself from all blocked lists is to get each user who blocked you to manually unblock your number.
Of course, this isn’t always feasible if you don’t have a way to contact them or don’t know who blocked you.
The other guaranteed method is to change to a new phone number. Getting a new number will essentially reset any blocks associated with your old number.
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Get user to unblock you | – Completely removed from block list | – Have to contact each blocking user |
| Change phone number | – Guaranteed to reset blocks | – Hassle of getting new number |
As the table shows, each method has tradeoffs. Getting manually unblocked takes effort but ensures you’re fully removed. Changing numbers guarantees a reset of blocks, but requires getting a new number.
What happens when you reinstall WhatsApp after deleting
If you reinstall WhatsApp after deleting your account, here is what will happen with your blocked status:
- You’ll remain blocked by all previous contacts
- You can block new contacts you didn’t block before
- You can’t see new contacts who blocked you after you deleted your account
So all previous blocks will still be in effect for your number if you reinstall WhatsApp. And you can still block new contacts going forward.
However, any new contacts who blocked you after you deleted WhatsApp will not show up as blocked. This is because their block occurred after you deleted your account.
Should you use the same number when reinstalling WhatsApp?
If your goal is to get a fresh start and remove previous blocks, it’s best to use a new phone number when reinstalling WhatsApp.
Using the same number will just carry over all your existing blocks. But a new number gives you a clean slate.
Other WhatsApp account deletion impacts
While this article has focused on how deleting WhatsApp impacts your blocked status, here are some other effects of deleting your account:
- You’ll be removed from all WhatsApp groups
- You’ll lose access to your message history
- Your undelivered messages may show up as “sent”
- You’ll be deleted from your contacts’ address books
- Your account info and data will be deleted from WhatsApp servers
So in summary, deleting your account cuts ties with WhatsApp entirely – except for remaining on blocked lists. Keep this in mind as you consider whether to delete your account.
Conclusion
Deleting your WhatsApp account does not remove you from being blocked by other users. You will remain blocked on all existing blocked contacts lists.
The only way to fully unblock yourself across all WhatsApp is to have each blocking user manually unblock you or to change to a new phone number.
If your goal is to have a clean slate with no blocks, your best bet is to use a new phone number when reinstalling WhatsApp after deleting your account.
Overall, deleting WhatsApp severs all ties with your account and data, except for the record of being blocked which remains associated with your phone number.
Keep this in mind as you weigh the implications of deleting your WhatsApp account – you’ll disappear from your contacts, but remain on block lists unless contacts specifically unblock you or you change your number.