Facebook has become a major part of everyone's life as it has all the major social media such as Instagram, WhatsApp, and of course Facebook under its wings. When it comes to personalized social media and chatting, WhatsApp wins over the other two. Even though many competitors such as Signal, Telegram, etc have arisen, WhatsApp has maintained its reach on a global scale.
This is possible because of the various features that WhatsApp provides its users that anyone might expect from a chatting platform. One can send texts, stickers, GIFs, make calls, video chat, add status and do much more. In this article, we are going to discuss one such useful tool called the WhatsApp change number feature.
What's the WhatsApp Change Number Feature
Even though we mostly try to use the same phone number, at some point we might have to change it. For times like this, WhatsApp provides a feature that would not allow any form of loss, both in terms of contacts as well as the media.
This is an extremely useful tool as it helps to transfer all the media, chats, and other information to the new number in a situation where the user has to change their WhatsApp number. Along with the migration of data, it is also a good means to inform others and give them a new number, without having to message every person in the contact list about it.
Here are a few important facts that one must know before using this feature:
- The user must keep in mind that the new mobile number associated with their WhatsApp account is used on the same smartphone and the Change Number feature in Android or iOS must be used before moving forward with the verification of the number.
- According to WhatsApp, the account associated with the old mobile number will be deleted such that the contacts can no longer see or use the old number on their list of WhatsApp contacts.
- The chat history remains stored and is linked to the respective contacts or groups. The change would be notified, even in groups in which the user is a part.
- For better experience and to prevent confusion all the contacts are notified about the change of mobile number.
So stop stressing about changing your phone or WhatsApp number as you do not have to lose the good old WhatsApp chats and media. Just follow the simple steps based on WhatsApp's FAQ to protect the data and its safe transfer.
How to Use WhatsApp Change Number Feature?
Now that we know about the Change number feature and its importance, let us check out the steps for this migration. The steps vary for the Android and iOS platforms, hence the user must follow the steps according to the type of device they have.
Android device
First, insert the SIM with the new number on the device in which you previously used the WhatsApp application. Once the SIM is set, open the application and go to Settings under more options.
Now, open the account settings and go to the ‘Change number’ option. However, the old number must be verified before using the option to change the number. Here are the steps to verify the number:
- Open the WhatsApp application and go to more options.
- Go to the Settings menu and tap on the profile photo and verify the account.
After verification, enter the old mobile number on the first box and the new number on the box below it. Tap next to proceed with the process to change the number and inform the contacts about the change.
In the next step, the app asks the information about the contacts and the user can choose one option among the listed ones, which are:
- Notify all contacts
- Notify the contacts with whom the user has conversations or chats
- Custom contacts, that is, the user can customize and choose the contact to whom this change would be either reflected or kept hidden.
Finally, click on the ‘Done’ option and finish by verifying the new number on your device.
iPhone or iOS device
First, insert the SIM with the new number on the device in which you previously used the WhatsApp application. Once the SIM is set, open the application and go to Settings under more options.
After verification of the old number, go to the Account settings and choose the ‘Change number’ option. Click on the ‘Next’ option. Now, enter the old number (in full international format) followed by the new mobile number in their respective spaces provided.
In the next step, choose or customize the contacts to which this change would be notified. Finally, click on the ‘Done’ option and finish by verifying the new number on your device.
Point to be noted: While changing the WhatsApp number on an Android or iOS device, make sure that the old number and new number are verified. Internet connectivity should be good.
If the user wants to personally inform their WhatsApp contacts, then it would be tedious to send them as messages, as WhatsApp allows only five contacts to be selected per set. Hence, one can use the ‘Broadcast’ feature that would send the information to all those mentioned in the list.
Uninstallation of the Application
If the application has been uninstalled and reinstalled, then the old number must be verified first and then the steps as mentioned earlier should be followed to enjoy the benefits of the Change Number feature in WhatsApp.
Suppose, after uninstalling if the new number is used and verified then the old account can be retrieved within 45 days as it would be stored in the WhatsApp servers. This chance would be lost if the user deletes the old account and then tries to re-install it, as a deleted account would not be stored in the server and hence, it cannot be retrieved.
Also, read about: Phone Numbers Whatsapp Web Users Found On Google Search
This creates an issue as the contacts with the old number can still send messages to it but that information cannot be received by the user. The new number would then have to be used to create new contacts and add the old ones manually but afresh.
Final Words
In this article, we have covered all the aspects of the WhatsApp Change Number feature, its uses, and the steps to finish the data migration process successfully. This can be easily applied to any device with the new number used in it.
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