How to Change WhatsApp Phone Number Without Losing Chats

WhatsApp makes switching to a new phone number easy through its Change Number feature.

By Jagmeet Singh | Updated: 7 February 2021 12:00 IST

How to Change WhatsApp Phone Number Without Losing Chats

Photo Credit: WhatsApp

WhatsApp users can switch to a new phone number with the following some easy steps

Highlights

WhatsApp lets you notify your contacts upon changing your phone number
You won’t lose your chats if you aren’t switching to a new phone
WhatsApp will require you to register your new phone number

WhatsApp allows you to easily change your phone number without losing your chats, and we're going to explain how to do that. The instant messaging platform is one of the most actively used apps for most smartphone users. A lot of people use it for sending messages and making voice and video calls. These features make WhatsApp a go-to solution for smartphone users. But since WhatsApp works with your phone number, you need to update your WhatsApp account when you change your existing number. And it's perfectly possible for regular WhatsApp users to change their phone number without losing the chats stored in the app.

To ease the process of changing your phone number, WhatsApp has a dedicated Change Number feature. This lets you easily move from an old phone number to a new one. The feature also provides the ability for users to automatically inform their contacts about the change. Here's a step-by-step guide to change your WhatsApp number.

Steps to change WhatsApp phone number without losing chats

Before beginning with the changing number process, insert the SIM card with the new phone number into your phone and make sure that it can receive SMS or phone calls. It is also important to note that your old phone number should still be registered to WhatsApp. You can check the registered phone number by tapping your profile through the WhatsApp settings menu. A screen will appear with your name and phone number registered with the app. Once you've gone through the aforementioned points, you can follow the steps below to change your WhatsApp number.

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Open WhatsApp on your phone.
Go to Settings if you're an iPhone users. For Android users, the settings menu is accessible by tapping the three-dots menu from the top-right corner of the screen.
Now, tap on the Account option and then hit Change Number.
You'll now see a screen asking you to confirm whether you're able to receive SMS or phone calls on your new number. If you've confirmed, press the Next button.
Enter your old and new numbers.
Tap Next to move to the final stage of changing your WhatsApp number.
WhatsApp will now ask you whether you want your contacts to be notified about your new number. You can choose from All contacts, Contacts I have chat with, or custom numbers — who will be informed about the change. The app will, however, automatically notify groups about the changing of your WhatsApp number.
Now, tap Done.

WhatsApp will now prompt you to register your new phone number. You'll get a six-digit code via an SMS or a phone call to complete the registration process. Once registered, your WhatsApp chats will continue to be available on your new phone number.

However, if you're also changing your phone alongside changing your number, you'll be required to take a backup of your chats either on Google Drive or on iCloud — depending on your old phone. You'll need to restore that backup on your new phone to get your chats back.

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