How to keep your WhatsApp account if you change your mobile number
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On many occasions we are forced to change the telephone number, keeping the same terminal. And on these certain occasions, continuing to use our usual WhatsApp account can be quite a hassle. WhatsApp is associated, to create the account, with a specific phone number from a SIM card. That is why we cannot have two WhatsApp accounts on the same mobile, unless we have dual SIM on it. What to do, then, if we change our phone number and want to keep the old account as if nothing had happened?
If you are in this situation, calm down because WhatsApp has looked after you so that you have everything clear and working. To do this, the instant messaging application created a function called 'Change number'. One of the main requirements is that this function has to be activated before verifying the new number.
To make everything clear: What exactly does the 'Change Number' function do?
- Migrate all your current account information,profile information, groups, and settings from your old phone to your new one. It will be like not having changed your phone number.
- Delete the entire account associated with the old number: Your contacts will no longer see your old phone associated with your account.
- Your chat history will be kept as long as you have the same device with which you used the old WhatsApp account. This is because the conversation history is saved on the phone.
- You must give your new phone number to all your contacts, so that they, in turn, have you in their phonebook.
Before changing numbers
- You must check if your new phone number is capable of receiving messages and calls, as well as having an active Internet connection, since either on WiFi or through mobile data.
- Test that your old phone number is conveniently associated with your WhatsApp account on that device. To do this, you just have to enter the application, go to the menu button, Settings and click on your profile picture. The old number must appear in the 'Info and telephone number' section.
- You have to keep in mind that none of your contacts in your address book will know that you have changed your number. Only those who share will be warned groups with you.
How to change your phone number
To change your phone number on the same device and not lose your WhatsApp account we will proceed as follows:
- Enter the SIM card of the new number into your phone.
- Open the WhatsApp application.
- You have to do a previous step again: check that your old phone number is still associated with your WhatsApp account. To do this, go to the menu button, Settings and click on your profile photo.
- Enter the WhatsApp menu again, then click on 'Account' and 'Change number'. Then read the explanatory screen.
- On the next screen you must first enter the old phone number. Then the new number.
- Press OK at the top right of the screen.
- Verify that everything has been done correctly, checking again if the current phone number is associated in your WhatsApp account.
So now you know, if you want to keep your WhatsApp account but with a different number, it's easier than ever.
