If you find that your phone number is no longer registered on WhatsApp, it typically means one of a few things has happened:
- You have gotten a new phone number.
- Your phone service was temporarily disconnected.
- Someone else has registered your number on a different device.
- Your account was banned by WhatsApp.
Let’s explore each of these possibilities in more detail below.
You Got a New Phone Number
The most straightforward reason your phone is no longer registered on WhatsApp is because you have received a new phone number. When you get a new mobile number, your old number will automatically be unregistered from WhatsApp.
This usually happens when you:
- Switch mobile carriers and get assigned a new number.
- Upgrade to a new phone plan and receive a new SIM card with a different number.
- Move to a new location and need to change your number.
If you got a new phone number, you simply need to register your new number on WhatsApp to continue using it. The app will automatically detect that your old number is no longer registered.
To register your new number:
- Open WhatsApp and agree to the Terms of Service.
- Verify your new phone number when prompted.
- Tap OK when it notifies you that your old number is no longer registered.
Once your new number is registered, you can access your existing WhatsApp account and messages. Your contacts will also automatically update to your new number, as long as you still have the same contacts saved in your phone’s address book.
Your Phone Service Was Temporarily Disconnected
Another reason your number may become unregistered from WhatsApp is if your mobile carrier temporarily disconnects your service due to non-payment or other issues.
If your phone service gets cut off, WhatsApp will detect that your SIM card is inactive and automatically unregister your number. This serves as a security measure to prevent others from accessing your account.
Here are some examples of when this could occur:
- You miss a payment on your phone bill and your service is suspended.
- You exceed your monthly minutes or data allowance and your carrier disables service until the next billing cycle.
- You’re traveling internationally and don’t set up an international roaming plan, causing your domestic service to pause.
- You report your phone lost or stolen and request your carrier to suspend service.
If this happens, your WhatsApp account will remain intact but inaccessible until you reactivate your phone service. As soon as your SIM card is active again, you can restart WhatsApp to re-register your number.
All of your messages and groups will still be there, as if you never left. This feature prevents you from losing important data every time your phone service lapses.
Someone Else Registered Your Number
In some rare cases, you may find your phone is no longer registered on WhatsApp because someone else has registered your number on a different device.
This can happen if:
- You lost your SIM card and someone inserted it into their own phone.
- You gave your old phone to someone without removing your SIM card.
- Your SIM card was cloned or hacked by sophisticated malware.
When this occurs, your number will show up as registered on the other person’s device rather than yours. They may even be able to access your WhatsApp account and messages.
If you suspect this has happened, you should immediately contact your mobile carrier and request they block your lost or stolen SIM card. You can then get a new SIM with the same number and re-register it on WhatsApp.
Be sure to also enable two-step verification on WhatsApp for extra security. This will require a passcode to be entered each time WhatsApp is registered on a new device with your number.
Your Account Was Banned
The last possibility is that your WhatsApp account has been banned, leading to your number becoming unregistered from the app.
WhatsApp has the right to ban accounts that violate their Terms of Service. Some examples of violations that could get you banned include:
- Sending spam messages
- Spreading harmful misinformation
- Using unauthorized 3rd party apps
- Threatening or harassing other users
If WhatsApp has banned your account, you will receive a notification explaining the reason for your ban when you try to re-register your number.
Bans can last anywhere from a few hours to several months. There is usually an appeals process you can use to request having your ban lifted early. But if the violation was severe, the ban may remain permanent.
If you feel your ban was unjustified, be sure to communicate with WhatsApp support and provide any evidence you have to dispute it. But otherwise, you will need to wait out the length of your ban before your number can be re-registered.
How to Get Your Number Re-Registered
If your phone number has become unregistered from WhatsApp unexpectedly, here are the steps to get it working again:
- Open WhatsApp and verify your number when prompted.
- Review any messages explaining why your number is unregistered.
- If you received a new number, register your new SIM card.
- If your service was disabled, pay any overdue bills to reactivate it.
- If someone else registered your number, contact your carrier to block your old SIM.
- If you’re banned, wait out the length of your ban or appeal it.
- Once your number is active again, re-register it on WhatsApp.
This will get your account back up and running so you can continue using WhatsApp as normal. Be sure to also enable two-factor authentication for extra security on your account going forward.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you’re still having trouble re-registering your number on WhatsApp, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Force close and restart the WhatsApp app.
- Update WhatsApp to the latest version from your app store.
- Turn your phone off and back on to refresh the SIM connection.
- Try registering your number on WhatsApp Web to isolate mobile issues.
- Remove and reinsert your SIM card to refresh the connection.
- Try registering your number on a different device as a test.
- Contact your mobile carrier and verify your service is active.
- Reach out to WhatsApp support if all else fails.
Following these steps can help identify and resolve any glitches preventing your number from being re-registered.
When to Seek Account Support
If you’ve exhausted all troubleshooting tips and your phone still isn’t re-registering on WhatsApp, it’s time to reach out to WhatsApp support for account help.
You should contact them right away if:
- You received a permanent ban notification.
- Your number shows as registered on a lost or stolen device.
- It has been over 72 hours and your number is still unregistered.
- Re-registering your number results in an error message.
WhatsApp’s support team can look into what is causing your registration issues and manually help reactivate your account.
To get in touch with them:
- Open WhatsApp and use the in-app support chat option.
- Visit the WhatsApp Help Center and request a callback.
- Email WhatsApp support at [email protected].
- Tweet @WhatsAppSupport to engage on Twitter.
Be sure to provide your full phone number and any details about issues you are facing. Their technical team can then troubleshoot and restore your access to WhatsApp if needed.
Preventing Unregistration in the Future
Once you regain access to your WhatsApp account, there are steps you can take to avoid your number becoming unregistered again down the road:
- Don’t change mobile numbers unless absolutely necessary. Port your existing number to a new carrier whenever possible.
- Stay on top of phone bill payments to keep your service active and avoid disconnections.
- Activate two-step verification for added security if your SIM gets lost or stolen in the future.
- Avoid actions that could risk getting banned, like sending spam or violating Terms of Service.
- Make backups of your WhatsApp messages and media in case you lose access unexpectedly.
Taking preventative measures can help provide peace of mind and keep your WhatsApp registered and accessible.
Understanding the Grace Period
When your WhatsApp number first becomes unregistered, there is a short grace period where your account remains intact:
- For the first 45 days after unregistering, your account will remain on standby.
- For the next 120 days it remains in a deleted state but can still be recovered.
- After 165 total days, your account is permanently deleted.
This gives you a window of time to re-register your number and regain access before losing your account forever.
If you are able to re-register your number within 45 days, you can simply pick up right where you left off. After 45 days, some data may be lost but the account will still recover.
Be sure to act quickly though, as once those 165 days are up your WhatsApp account will be gone for good. The grace period gives you a safety net but your time is limited.
Notifying Contacts When You Re-Register
When your WhatsApp number becomes unregistered, your existing contacts won’t receive an automatic notification at that time.
However, when you do re-register your number, your contacts will be notified that you are “back on WhatsApp” through a confirmation text.
This allows them to know your account is active again and they can resume messaging you. The notification will be sent as an individual chat to each contact.
If you prefer contacts not receive this confirmation, you can turn it off in WhatsApp settings:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Account > Privacy
- Turn off “Notify Contacts”
With this disabled, your account will restore silently in the background without notifying your contacts. You can then message them first at your convenience.
Key Takeaways
Here are some key points to remember if your phone number gets unregistered from WhatsApp unexpectedly:
- It usually means you got a new number, service lapsed, someone else registered your number, or you’re banned.
- You can re-register your number once the underlying issue is resolved.
- Use troubleshooting tips if you have issues re-registering.
- Contact WhatsApp support if your number remains unregistered.
- Enable two-factor authentication for added security.
- Act quickly within the 45 day grace period to avoid data loss.
Keeping these tips in mind can help you smoothly recover and reactivate your WhatsApp account should your phone number ever become unregistered. With a few simple steps, you’ll be back messaging with your contacts in no time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about WhatsApp numbers becoming unregistered:
Why do I have to register my number again on WhatsApp?
You typically have to re-register your number if you got a new number, your service was temporarily disabled, someone else registered your number, or your account was banned. Re-registering confirms your identity and reactivates your account.
Can I retrieve my messages if my number gets unregistered?
Yes, you can retrieve your message history as long as you re-register your number within 45 days. After 45 days some data may be unavailable, but your account can still recover within 165 days total.
I lost my phone – can I still use WhatsApp?
If you lost your phone but still have your SIM card, you can register your number on a new device and regain access to your WhatsApp account and messages. Be sure to also contact your carrier to suspend service on the lost device.
How do I know if someone else is using my number on WhatsApp?
Warning signs include not being able to register your number yourself, losing cellular service, seeing unknown devices linked to your account, or messages coming from your number that you did not send.
Can I transfer my chat history if I get a new number?
Unfortunately you cannot transfer your existing WhatsApp chat history to a new number. Your only option is to migrate chats using a different messaging platform that allows chat backups and transfers.
I got a new phone – do I have to register my number again?
If you got a new phone but kept the same SIM card and phone number, you will not have to re-register your number. WhatsApp will automatically restore your account on the new device.
How do I back up my WhatsApp messages?
You can back up your WhatsApp messages and media to Google Drive or local device storage through WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. This preserves your data if your number becomes unregistered.
Summary
Having your phone number become unregistered in WhatsApp can certainly be an inconvenience, but with the right information you can get back up and running quickly. The key is identifying why you were unregistered, taking appropriate steps to reactivate your number, and using troubleshooting tips if issues arise. Be sure to also enable security measures like two-factor authentication going forward. With patience and persistence, you’ll have your WhatsApp working again before you know it.
Conclusion
In summary, if your phone is showing as unregistered on WhatsApp, don’t panic. In most cases the issue can be resolved by re-registering your number once any underlying problems are fixed. Be aware of the potential causes, take proactive troubleshooting steps, and leverage WhatsApp’s support resources if needed. Staying calm and methodical will help get your account back to normal. With your number registered once again, you can get back to seamlessly chatting with all your WhatsApp contacts.