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Does WhatsApp use your phone number to make calls?

Quick Answer

Yes, WhatsApp uses your phone number to make calls through the app. When you sign up for WhatsApp, you are required to provide your phone number which then becomes your WhatsApp ID. This allows WhatsApp to connect your account and make calls to other users who also have WhatsApp accounts linked to their phone numbers.

More Detailed Answer

WhatsApp is a popular messaging app owned by Meta (formerly Facebook) that allows users to send messages, make voice and video calls, share photos/videos, documents and more to other WhatsApp users worldwide. Here are some key points about how WhatsApp uses your phone number:

  • Registration – To create a WhatsApp account, you need to provide your phone number and verify it via an SMS code sent to that number.
  • ID – Your phone number becomes your unique WhatsApp ID. People can search for and message you on WhatsApp by your phone number if they have it saved in their contacts.
  • Connecting to Contacts – When you provide WhatsApp access to your phone’s contacts, it checks if any of those numbers already have WhatsApp accounts. This allows you to immediately see which of your contacts are on WhatsApp.
  • Calls – WhatsApp uses your phone number to connect calls when you call another WhatsApp user. The app recognizes you are calling someone else who has WhatsApp via their phone number.
  • VoIP – WhatsApp calls are made through Voice over IP technology, meaning they utilize your mobile data or WiFi connection rather than your cellular plan’s voice minutes.
  • End-to-end Encryption – WhatsApp calls are secured with end-to-end encryption, meaning the communication is private between you and the person you are conversing with.
  • Web/Desktop App – You can make WhatsApp calls through the web browser or desktop app by syncing the app with your mobile device’s account using the QR code pairing process.

In summary, WhatsApp requires your phone number in order to create your account, recognize your contacts also on the service, and establish connections between you and the people you call through the app. The calls utilize your internet data plan rather than traditional voice minutes.

Why Does WhatsApp Require Your Phone Number?

WhatsApp requires users to register with a valid mobile phone number for the following reasons:

Identity Verification

Requiring a phone number helps verify user identity and prevent abuse/spam by requiring SMS verification during the signup process. This adds a layer of accountability compared to services that allow username-only account creation.

Uniquely Identify Users

Phone numbers allow WhatsApp to uniquely identify each user account on its system globally. Phone numbers are unique, reusable identifiers ideal for this purpose. Using phone numbers avoids duplicate account confusion.

Easily Search for Contacts

By integrating with users’ phone contacts, WhatsApp makes it easy to immediately find friends/family who already use the service. Your contacts’ phone numbers double as their WhatsApp IDs.

Calls Using Data/WiFi Network

WhatsApp routes calls made between users within the app via data/WiFi networks rather than your cellular voice network. Linking accounts via phone numbers enables this functionality.

Already Have Users’ Phone Numbers

Most WhatsApp users already have lists of contacts’ phone numbers stored on their devices. Requiring a phone number allows WhatsApp to connect users without needing a separate username.

SMS Verification Process

To complete registration, WhatsApp sends an SMS with a code to verify the user has access to the number provided. This helps prevent unauthorized account creation and hacking.

How Does WhatsApp Protect the Privacy of Your Phone Number?

While WhatsApp requires your phone number to function, it does implement measures to keep your phone number private, including:

Verification Code Valid for Limited Time

The SMS verification code sent during registration is short-lived, expiring after just a few minutes. This reduces chances of it falling into the wrong hands.

Omitted from Public Profiles

Your phone number does not appear on your public-facing WhatsApp profile or in Groups’ member lists for privacy. Only people who already have your number see it.

End-to-End Encryption for Calls

WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for voice and video calls between users. This prevents third parties from accessing call data.

Blocked Contacts Cannot See Updates

You can block specific contacts from seeing when you were last online, your profile photo, status updates and more by customizing your privacy settings.

Delete Account to Stop Use of Number

You can delete your WhatsApp account at any time to stop your phone number from being linked to an active account. This is reversible if you later decide to reactivate.

Limited Data Shared with Parent Company

WhatsApp limits data sharing with parent company Meta to keep accounts isolated. Meta cannot see your calls or message content due to encryption.

Hide Number from Groups/Broadcast Lists

You can choose to exclude your number from being visible in various Groups and Broadcast Lists you are added to for enhanced privacy.

Interesting Facts About WhatsApp

Most Popular Global Messaging App

As of 2022, WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging app with over 2 billion active users worldwide messaging over 100 billion times per day.

Originally Started as Status App

WhatsApp originally launched in 2009 as an app called “What’s App” focused on letting people share status updates similar to Facebook. Messaging features were added later.

Acquired by Facebook in 2014

Facebook acquired WhatsApp in 2014 for an estimated $19 billion, making it Facebook’s largest acquisition to date. At the time, WhatsApp had 450 million monthly users.

Supports 90 Languages

WhatsApp is available in over 50 different languages, supporting 90 language localizations overall when combined with Android and iOS. This makes the app accessible globally.

Used Most in India

WhatsApp’s largest user base comes from India, where 400 million people use it monthly. This represents nearly 1/3 of WhatsApp’s total users worldwide.

Year WhatsApp Active Users
2014 500 million
2016 1 billion
2018 1.5 billion
2020 2 billion

Conclusion

In summary, WhatsApp does require your phone number to create your account, connect you with your contacts who use the app, and facilitate voice/video calls between users. However, WhatsApp does implement measures like encryption and limiting shared data to protect users’ privacy. While providing your phone number is needed to use WhatsApp, the app recognizes the sensitivity of this information and has configured its systems to keep your phone number private while still utilizing it to enable WhatsApp’s convenient messaging and calling capabilities.