- WhatsApp number change requires careful steps; old backups incompatible.
- Users must ensure new number is active and supported.
- Change number on old phone, then create new backup.
Planning to get a new SIM or change your phone number? WhatsApp has a built-in Change Number feature that allows users to move their account to a new number. However, the process comes with specific requirements, particularly when a user is also moving to a new phone.
One of the key points to remember is that a WhatsApp chat backup created with the old number cannot be directly restored after registering the account with a new number. Users therefore need to complete the number-change process in the correct order.
Moving To A New Number? Start With These Checks
Before changing the number, users should ensure that the new number is active and can receive both SMS messages and calls. The existing number must also still be registered with WhatsApp.
Users can check the number currently linked to their account by opening WhatsApp, tapping the three-dot menu, going to Settings and selecting their profile picture.
The number change has to be carried out through the primary phone. It cannot be completed through WhatsApp Web or the desktop application.
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Not Every Phone Number Can Be Used On WhatsApp
Users should also check whether the new number falls under a category supported by WhatsApp.
The following numbers should not be used for WhatsApp registration:
VoIP numbers
Toll-free numbers
Paid premium numbers
Universal Access Numbers (UAN)
Personal numbers
Landline numbers
There is an exception for landlines: they can be used with the WhatsApp Business app.
Will Your Groups And Blocked Contacts Be Affected?
Changing the number on the same WhatsApp account does not remove people from the blocked list. Contacts who were already blocked will continue to remain blocked and will not be notified about the new number.
Group chats are handled differently. WhatsApp will automatically notify the groups that the number has been changed. This notification is sent even when the user has not enabled the Notify Contacts option.
The Backup Rule To Remember When Changing Phones
The backup process becomes especially important when a number change is accompanied by a phone upgrade.
According to WhatsApp, cloud backups are associated with the phone number used to create them. As a result, a backup made while using the old number cannot be restored after WhatsApp has been registered with a new number.
This means users should not move directly to the new phone and attempt to restore their old-number backup.
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What Users Should Do Before Moving To The New Phone
The number should first be changed on the old phone through WhatsApp’s Change Number feature.
Once the account has been moved to the new number on the old device, users should create a fresh chat backup on their Google account using the new number.
Only after creating this new backup should users install WhatsApp on the new phone. They can then register the new number and restore the newly created backup.
Following this sequence allows users changing both their number and device to use the backup associated with the new number rather than trying to restore a backup created under the old one.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
