WhatsApp offers an option to notify your contacts after you’ve changed your number. This is apparently only going to inform the contacts you have on the messaging service and not elsewhere.
How to Switch to a New Phone Number on WhatsApp
Changing your WhatsApp phone number is quick and easy. Open the messaging app and tap on the three vertical dots at the top-right. Choose “Settings > Account > Change number.”
WhatsApp will show you information that will tell you that all your settings, group, and account info will be transferred to the new number. You’ll also need to prove that your new phone can receive text messages, and hopefully, that won’t be a problem. Once you’ve entered the phone numbers, make sure to double-check that the numbers are correct. Tap on next, and WhatsApp will warn you that you’re about to change phone numbers. Don’t forget to toggle on the option that will notify your contacts about the number change.
You’ll also need to decide if you want WhatsApp to notify all of your contacts, contacts you have chats with, or a customized list. You won’t have to worry about erasing your old WhatsApp account, as the app does that for you automatically. Remind your contacts to delete your old number instead of just adding it to the existing contact. Your service provider could re-use that number, and you’re friends will have a number that’s not yours.
Changing Phones But Not Phone Numbers
If you’re going to switch from an Android phone to an iPhone, but with the same number, you’ll keep your account information. What you won’t be able to keep are your messages. If you migrate from Android to iPhone or vice versa, you’ll lose all your messages. If you’re switching from one Android phone to another, you can restore your messages using the backup feature. Open “WhatsApp -> Settings -> Chats -> Chat Backup.” To save mobile data, make sure you tap on the “Back up over” option and choose “Wi-Fi only.”
If you haven’t added a Google account so your chats can be saved to Drive, tap on the “Add account” option. By tapping on the “Back up to Google Drive” option, you can also set up how often your chats are updated. Back up your messages manually if you don’t feel like waiting for the assigned backup time.
Conclusion
Just because you’re changing your phone number doesn’t mean you have to lose your WhatsApp account. By following a few simple steps, you can recover your messages and your account. Do you have to change phone number often? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
