WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. With so many users, it’s common to block contacts you no longer wish to communicate with on WhatsApp.
But what happens when you decide to delete your WhatsApp account entirely? Will your blocked contacts regain access to message you if you rejoin WhatsApp later on? Let’s take a look at what happens when you delete your WhatsApp account and what it means for any blocked contacts.
Your Account Data is Deleted
When you choose to delete your WhatsApp account, all of your account information and data will be erased from WhatsApp’s servers. This includes your profile information, chat history, media, and settings. Basically, it will be as if the account never existed in the first place.
According to WhatsApp’s FAQ page on deleting accounts: “Please note after your account is deleted, your information can’t be retrieved later.” So any data associated with your old account will be permanently gone.
Important Details on Data Deletion
- Media or files you shared with others will still be available on their phones, even if deleted from your account.
- Backups will not be deleted. You’ll need to manually delete WhatsApp backups stored on iCloud (for iPhones) or Google Drive (for Androids).
- Your account may appear active for a short time after deletion. This is because WhatsApp takes time to process the account removal.
Your Blocked Contacts Remain Blocked
When you block someone on WhatsApp, it prevents them from viewing your last seen, online status, or contacting you on WhatsApp in any way. They are essentially removed from your friends/contacts list.
The key thing to note is that when you delete your WhatsApp account, your list of blocked contacts does not get erased. Those blocked contacts stay associated with your old phone number on WhatsApp’s servers.
Therefore, if you reinstall WhatsApp later on and re-register with the same phone number, all previously blocked contacts will remain blocked by default.
What This Means for Blocked Contacts
For any users you had blocked, here is what happens when you delete your WhatsApp account:
- They will remain unaware you deleted your account since blocked users get no notifications.
- They will stay blocked and will have no access to message you or view your profile.
- If you rejoin WhatsApp later, they will still be blocked by default.
- The only way blocked contacts can message you again is if you manually unblock them after reactivating WhatsApp.
When Blocked Contacts Can Message You Again
Given blocked contacts remain blocked when you delete your WhatsApp account, the only way they can message you again is if you explicitly unblock them.
This can happen in two cases:
- You reinstall WhatsApp and unblock them manually: If you reactivate your WhatsApp account later on, you have the option to go into your settings and unblock any contacts. This will once again allow them to message you and view your profile.
- They get a new phone number: Since blocked contacts are associated with a specific phone number, someone you blocked could message you again if they get assigned a new number and create a new WhatsApp account.
Aside from the above scenarios, a blocked contact has no way of messaging you again after you delete your WhatsApp account unless you explicitly unblock them.
How to Delete Your WhatsApp Account
If you wish to delete your WhatsApp account and wipe your data from WhatsApp’s servers, here are step-by-step instructions:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Account > Delete My Account.
- You will be prompted to enter your phone number and verify the deletion request.
- An option to download your account info may appear. Tap Delete after reviewing.
- Wait for up to 90 days for the account to be completely deleted. Your data cannot be restored after deletion.
Some key pointers on deleting your account:
- Chat history and media will be deleted from WhatsApp’s servers but remain on your phone storage or backups until manually removed.
- You can sign up again with the same number after deletion. Your blocked contacts will remain blocked.
- It can take up to 90 days for the account to be fully deleted from WhatsApp’s systems.
What About Deleting Chats Instead of Your Account?
Instead of deleting your entire WhatsApp account, you also have the option to selectively delete certain chats.
When you delete a chat or conversation thread, here is what happens:
- The chat will be deleted from your phone’s chat list.
- The chat history and media will be deleted from your phone’s WhatsApp storage.
- The chat will still appear in the other person’s chat list and their chat content will remain unchanged.
So deleting chats only removes them from your side – the other person will still have the full chat history. This is different from blocking or deleting your account, which prevents the other person from contacting you entirely.
How to Delete Chats
Follow these steps to delete specific chats in WhatsApp:
- Open the WhatsApp chat you want to delete.
- Tap and hold the chat.
- Tap delete.
- Confirm deletion in the pop-up prompt.
The chat will now be removed from your chat screen. Keep in mind media and files exchanged will still be available in the other person’s chat.
Conclusion
Deleting your WhatsApp account will erase your personal data and settings, but any blocked contacts will stay blocked by default. These blocked contacts have no way to message you again unless you choose to manually unblock them after restoring your account.
So in summary:
- Your chat history, media, and account info are deleted when your account is removed.
- Previously blocked contacts remain blocked if you restore your account.
- Blocked contacts can message you only if you unblock them or they get a new number.
- Alternatively, you can just delete specific chats instead of your entire account.
Hope this clarifies what happens to blocked contacts when deleting your WhatsApp account. Let me know if you have any other questions!