How can I log into WhatsApp if I lost my phone?

Quick Answer

If you lost your phone and don’t have access to your old number, there are a few options for logging into your WhatsApp account:

• If you have previously set up two-step verification, you can enter your 6-digit PIN to verify your identity and log in on a new device.
• If you linked your email to your WhatsApp account, you can request a verification code via email to log in.
• You can temporarily access your account by contacting WhatsApp support and requesting an account recovery.
• As a last resort, you may need to delete your account and start over with a new number.

The key is having a backup verification method set up like two-factor authentication or an email, as this allows you to prove you’re the account owner when your phone is lost. If neither of those options are available, contacting WhatsApp support is your next best bet.

What happens when I lose my phone?

Losing your phone can be stressful, especially if your WhatsApp account was tied to that device. Here’s what happens when you lose a phone with WhatsApp installed:

• You will no longer be able to access WhatsApp on the lost device.
• Your chat history remains intact on WhatsApp’s servers.
• Your WhatsApp contacts will not be notified unless you change your profile info.
• Your WhatsApp verification code will still be sent to the lost phone number.
• You can still reverify with two-factor authentication or email if set up.

The key takeaway is that your account and chat history will remain untouched on WhatsApp’s servers, even though you can no longer access them from the lost phone. Your contacts will not be notified unless you manually change your profile photo, name, or about info.

This gives you the opportunity to seamlessly switch to a new device, as long as you can complete WhatsApp’s verification process without access to the code sent to your old number.

How to Log In Without Your Old Phone Number

If you’ve lost access to your old phone number, there are still ways to recover and log into your WhatsApp account:

Two-Factor Authentication

If you previously enabled two-step verification on WhatsApp, you can use your 6-digit PIN to verify your identity and link your account to a new device. Here’s how:

1. Install WhatsApp on your new phone.
2. Enter your phone number when prompted.
3. Instead of entering the verification code from SMS, tap “Verify by PIN.”
4. Enter your 6-digit PIN to authenticate.

This will allow you to verify your account and access your old messages without needing the SMS code. Just be sure you remember your PIN.

Registered Email Address

If you added an email address to your WhatsApp account, you can use email verification instead. Here are the steps:

1. Install WhatsApp and enter your number.
2. When prompted, tap “Verify by email.”
3. Open the email from WhatsApp and enter the 6-digit code.

This will send a verification code to your registered email, allowing log in without access to SMS. Make sure your email is up-to-date and you can access it.

Contact WhatsApp Support

If you can’t use two-factor authentication or email verification, your last option is to directly contact WhatsApp support. You’ll need to provide info to confirm you own the account.

WhatsApp may be able to temporarily enable your account on a new device or buy you some time to access your messages and export your chat history. But this method is not guaranteed to work.

Delete and Start Over

As a last resort if you can’t recover your account, you may need to delete your WhatsApp account and start over with a new phone number. This should only be done if you have no other way to access your old messages.

Before deleting, make sure to export your chat history if possible and notify your contacts that you have a new number. WhatsApp does allow you to re-register with the same number after deleting your account.

Back Up WhatsApp Before Losing Your Phone

The easiest way to avoid losing access to your WhatsApp account is setting up backups before you lose your phone:

• Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Set up two-step verification in WhatsApp’s settings menu.
• Link Email Address: Add and verify an email address under WhatsApp > Settings > Account.
• Back Up to Google Drive: Turn on Google Drive backups in WhatsApp’s Chat settings.
• Export Chat History: Manually export chat history to email or other apps.

With backups enabled, you’ll have multiple ways to recover and access your messages if your phone is lost or damaged.

How to Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Here are the steps to enable two-factor authentication on WhatsApp:

1. Open WhatsApp Settings > Account > Two-step verification.
2. Tap Enable.
3. Enter a 6-digit PIN and confirm.
4. Provide an email address for resetting your PIN.
5. Tap Next and confirm your email address.

Once enabled, you’ll need to enter your PIN when registering your account on a new device. Make sure to remember the PIN or store it securely.

Adding and Verifying an Email Address

Follow these steps to add and verify an email address for WhatsApp account recovery:

1. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Email address.
2. Enter your email address and tap Next.
3. Open the confirmation email from WhatsApp and click the link.
4. Return to WhatsApp and tap Verify.

Your email will now be linked as a backup for verifying your account if your phone is lost.

Enabling Google Drive Backups

Here’s how to start backing up your WhatsApp chats to Google Drive:

1. Open WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
2. Tap Backup to Google Drive and confirm.
3. Select a backup frequency (daily, weekly etc).
4. Tap Account and select a Google account.
5. Tap Back Up to start the backup.

Once enabled, your chats will backup automatically to Google Drive as per your frequency settings.

Manually Exporting Your Chat History

You can also manually export and email your chat history by following these steps:

1. Open the chat you want to export.
2. Tap More > Export chat.
3. Choose to export with or without media.
4. Select email as the export method.
5. Enter your email and send.

This will export your chat as an attachment that you can save for backups. Just be aware of any size limits when emailing.

Restore WhatsApp After Getting a New Phone

Once you have a new phone, here are the steps to restore your WhatsApp account and messages:

Install WhatsApp and Verify

First, install WhatsApp from the app store and register your account:

1. Download and install WhatsApp.
2. Agree to the Terms of Service.
3. Enter your phone number and tap Next.
4. Verify with your 6-digit PIN or backup email.

You should now have access to your account on your new device.

Restore from Google Drive Backup

If you had Google Drive backups enabled, you can restore your chat history:

1. Once verified, tap Restore when prompted.
2. Select the backup to restore from Google Drive.
3. Wait for WhatsApp to restore your chats and media.

Your chats from the backup date will be restored. Newer chats or media may not transfer over.

Import Chat History Manually

For manually exported chats, import them back into WhatsApp:

1. Save the chat history attachment from email to your phone.
2. In WhatsApp, open the chat you want to restore.
3. Tap More > Import chat history.
4. Select the export file and import.

Your exported chats and media will be imported back into WhatsApp on your new device.

Notify Contacts About Your New Number

Once you’re logged back into your WhatsApp account, the last step is notifying your contacts about your new phone number or account.

Here are some easy ways to spread the word on WhatsApp:

• Change your profile name to include “new number.”
• Add your new number to your WhatsApp profile bio.
• Announce your new number in relevant WhatsApp groups.
• Send your contacts a text via SMS from your new number.
• Directly message frequent WhatsApp contacts to share your number.

Be sure to update your profile and settings in WhatsApp to reflect your new number as well. This will help minimize confusion for your contacts.

Conclusion

Losing your phone doesn’t have to mean losing access to your WhatsApp account and messages. By setting up two-factor authentication, linking an email, and backing up your chats, you can seamlessly recover your account on a new phone.

If you don’t have backups enabled, try the account recovery options or directly contacting WhatsApp support. And once you’re logged in, spread the word to your contacts about your new number.

With some preparation, you can restore your WhatsApp chats and pick up right where you left off, even if your phone is lost, stolen or damaged beyond repair.