When you first install WhatsApp on your phone, you will be prompted to enter your phone number. WhatsApp will then send a 6-digit verification code to your phone number via SMS to confirm your identity.
Receiving the Verification Code
After entering your phone number in WhatsApp, you will see a screen with a text box asking you to enter the 6-digit verification code sent to your phone number. This verification code is sent to you via SMS by WhatsApp.
The verification code SMS will look something like this:
“Your WhatsApp verification code is 123456.”
The 6 digit code in this SMS is what you need to enter on the verification screen in WhatsApp on your phone.
Entering the Verification Code
To enter the verification code:
- Open WhatsApp on your phone.
- Type your phone number on the screen that asks for it.
- WhatsApp will send a 6-digit verification code to that number via SMS.
- Once you receive the SMS with the code, open WhatsApp again.
- Enter the 6-digit verification code from the SMS on the verification screen in WhatsApp.
- Verify the code by tapping on the verify button.
Once you enter the correct verification code and tap verify, your WhatsApp account will be verified.
Troubleshooting Tips
Here are some tips in case you face any issues with verification:
- Make sure you enter the full 6-digit code correctly from the SMS.
- If you don’t receive the SMS within a few minutes, tap on “Resend SMS” to have it sent again. Network issues can sometimes delay SMS delivery.
- If you receive the SMS late after having tapped “Resend SMS”, WhatsApp will have sent multiple codes. Make sure to enter the latest code you received.
- Try restarting your phone if issues persist in receiving the SMS verification code.
- If you accidentally tapped “Resend SMS” multiple times, you may have received multiple verification codes via SMS. Enter each code one by one until one works.
- If you’re trying again after some time, request WhatsApp to send a new verification code and do not use an old code as it may have expired.
Using WhatsApp on Multiple Devices
If you want to use WhatsApp on multiple devices using the same account, such as your phone and computer, here is how verification works:
- Verify your WhatsApp account on your primary device first, using the 6-digit code as explained earlier.
- On the secondary device, scan the QR code displayed on the primary device to link it.
- Both devices will now have the same WhatsApp account activated.
The verification process remains the same – you enter the code received via SMS on the device you are currently verifying. The subsequent device just needs to scan a QR code to activate WhatsApp.
Using WhatsApp for Business
If you are using WhatsApp for your business, here are some tips related to verification:
- Use a dedicated business phone number for your business WhatsApp account.
- The verification process remains the same as above when using a business number.
- For social media advertising, include your WhatsApp business number prominently where customers can easily find it.
- You can have multiple devices simultaneously logged in to your business WhatsApp account.
- Use WhatsApp Business features like quick replies, autoreply messages, labels, statistics etc. to organize your communications.
Tips to Stay Verified
Here are some tips to ensure your WhatsApp account remains verified:
- Do not delete and reinstall WhatsApp frequently as you will have to reverify via SMS each time.
- Do not factory reset your phone without backing up your WhatsApp data, or you will lose your verified status.
- Do not sideload WhatsApp or install from unknown sources, always use the official app from the Play Store or App Store.
- Beware of fake websites or apps claiming to offer WhatsApp services, they may steal your account or phone number.
- Enable two-step verification for additional account security beyond just SMS verification.
- Report any unverified behavior you notice on WhatsApp to keep your account safe.
Conclusion
The process to verify your WhatsApp account using an SMS code is quick and simple. Just enter the 6-digit verification code sent to your phone number and tap Verify. This verifies your device with your number. For multi-device usage, scan QR codes to link devices. Follow the tips provided above to troubleshoot any issues with the verification process. Enabling two-step verification is recommended for additional security beyond SMS verification. With these steps, you can easily verify your WhatsApp account and start using the messaging app across your devices.