WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, used by billions of people daily to stay in touch with friends and family. However, sometimes things can go wrong and WhatsApp might stop working properly. Here are some common WhatsApp issues and solutions to try if you are experiencing problems.
WhatsApp Won’t Connect
One of the most frustrating WhatsApp problems is when the app won’t connect at all. Here are some things you can try:
- Check your internet connection – Make sure you have an active internet connection, whether through WiFi, mobile data or otherwise. WhatsApp requires an internet connection to send and receive messages.
- Restart your phone – Sometimes restarting your phone can help clear up temporary glitches that may be preventing WhatsApp from connecting.
- Update WhatsApp – Go to your app store and make sure you have downloaded the latest version of WhatsApp. Older versions may have bugs or connectivity issues.
- Reinstall WhatsApp – As a last resort, uninstall WhatsApp completely and reinstall a fresh copy from the app store. This will reset the app and clear out any corrupt files.
WhatsApp Messages Not Sending
If your messages won’t send, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Check your internet connection again – WhatsApp requires a stable internet connect to send messages. Make sure your WiFi or mobile data is working properly.
- Restart your phone – Restart your device in case there are software issues temporarily preventing sending.
- Clear app cache – In your phone settings, find the WhatsApp app and choose to clear cache. This deletes temporary files that could be corrupted.
- Update to latest version – Install any available updates for WhatsApp from your app store.
- Free up storage space – WhatsApp may have issues if your phone is low on storage. Delete files, photos or apps you no longer need.
WhatsApp Crashing or Freezing
App crashes or freezes are very annoying. Try these tips if WhatsApp is having technical difficulties:
- Force stop the app – In phone settings under Apps, choose WhatsApp > Force Stop. This will close the app completely.
- Restart your phone – Power your device off completely and turn it back on. This often fixes temporary freezing issues.
- Update WhatsApp – Install the latest update from the app store which could contain bug fixes.
- Free up storage space – Having enough free space is important for apps to run smoothly. Delete any files you don’t need.
- Uninstall and reinstall – As a last resort, deleting and re-downloading WhatsApp can clear out bugs or glitches.
WhatsApp Call Not Working
WhatsApp offers free voice and video calls. But sometimes calls don’t go through. Here is how to troubleshoot call issues:
- Check your internet connection – A stable WiFi or mobile internet connection is required for WhatsApp calls. Make sure you have a strong signal.
- Restart your phone – Power your device off and back on again to clear up temporary call issues.
- Allow WhatsApp access – In phone settings, make sure WhatsApp has permissions to access your camera, microphone and contacts.
- Update WhatsApp – Install the latest version of WhatsApp which could have call quality improvements.
- Clear call history – Go into WhatsApp settings > Calls and choose to clear your call history. This resets call capabilities.
WhatsApp Account Banned or Suspended
It’s possible for accounts to get banned for violating WhatsApp policies. Here’s what to do if you’re banned:
- Read the ban message carefully – WhatsApp will send details on why your account was banned. Understand the reason for better troubleshooting.
- Contact WhatsApp to appeal – You can email [email protected] and politely ask them to reconsider your ban and reactivate your account.
- Wait for ban period to lift – Temporary bans may last a few days or weeks. You’ll have to wait patiently for your access to be restored.
- Create a new account – If the ban is permanent with no chance for appeal, your only option is to create a brand new WhatsApp account.
Lost or Deleted WhatsApp Messages
It can be frustrating if important messages are accidentally lost or deleted. Here are some tips:
- Restore from backup – Uninstall WhatsApp > reinstall and restore messages from your latest stored backup.
- Use file recovery software – Programs like dr.fone can scan your phone and retrieve deleted message files.
- Ask sender to resend – If possible, contact the sender and ask them politely if they can resend the lost messages.
- Learn from backups – Be sure to regularly backup your WhatsApp chats and media to prevent permanent data loss.
Forgotten WhatsApp PIN
If you forget your 6-digit PIN for accessing WhatsApp:
- Tap Forgot PIN? – When prompted for your PIN, tap Forgot PIN? to reset your passcode.
- Verify identity – WhatsApp will ask you to confirm your identity before allowing a PIN reset.
- Create new PIN – Once verified, you can create and confirm a brand new 6-digit PIN.
- Enable touch/face ID – To avoid forgetting your PIN again, enable touch or face ID for convenience.
- Use account recovery – As a last resort, you can use WhatsApp’s account recovery process to reset the PIN.
Poor Picture and Video Quality
If your WhatsApp media appears low quality, try these troubleshooting steps:
- Check internet connection – Media requires fast, stable internet to send in high resolution.
- Update WhatsApp – Install latest updates which could improve media transfers.
- Clear chat history – This resets the chat and clears out any corrupted files.
- Free up storage space – Ensure your phone has enough free storage for high resolution files.
- Switch to WiFi – WiFi provides faster speeds for media than mobile internet.
WhatsApp Notification Issues
If you aren’t receiving proper WhatApp notifications:
- Check Do Not Disturb settings – Make sure DND mode is not enabled, which blocks notifications.
- Review notification settings – Open WhatsApp and ensure notifications are enabled with popup previews.
- Check phone notification settings – Make sure WhatsApp notifications are allowed in your device settings.
- Force stop and restart – This resets the app and reconnects it to notification servers.
- Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp – As a last resort, deleting and reinstalling the app can resolve notification bugs.
WhatsApp Has Been Hacked
In rare cases, accounts are hacked. If you think your WhatsApp was compromised:
- Enable two-step verification – This adds extra login security to prevent unauthorized access.
- Change your password – Reset your WhatsApp password immediately to lock out hackers.
- Review devices – Carefully review linked devices in settings and log out unknown devices.
- Scan phone for malware – Install antivirus software to check for spyware or hacking tools.
- Contact WhatsApp – Report the hacking attempt to WhatsApp so they can investigate.
Conclusion
We hope this article covered the most common WhatsApp issues users encounter, along with some straightforward troubleshooting tips to fix them. Make sure to keep your app updated, maintain a stable internet connection, and regularly backup your messages. With proper app care and settings management, you should be able to avoid most WhatsApp problems. But if issues do occur, use the suggestions outlined here to get WhatsApp working properly again.