Deepak Gupta

Your phone with WhatsApp was lost or stolen

Follow WhatsApp's "How to recover a WhatsApp account from a lost or stolen device" steps: call your mobile provider to block the SIM, get a new SIM with the same number, and re-register WhatsApp. That logs the lost phone out. WhatsApp cannot deactivate your account for you.

Do these 3 things now

1Call your mobile provider now and ask them to block your SIM card.Read to them:“Call your mobile provider now and ask them to block your SIM card.”
2Open WhatsApp's lost phone steps and re-register once you have a new SIM with the same number.Read to them:“Open WhatsApp's lost phone steps and re-register once you have a new SIM with the same number.”
3Do not reply to anyone offering to find your phone or unlock your account.Read to them:“Do not reply to anyone offering to find your phone or unlock your account.”

Open WhatsApp's lost phone steps

Official link: faq.whatsapp.com

I am helping someone else

Helper mode: each step is written for you to read aloud. Let them tap and type on their own device; never ask them to send you a code. Send them this first.

01Is this you?

Your phone is lost or stolen, and WhatsApp was on it.
You lost the SIM card or no longer have the phone number.

Not quite? You still have your phone, but someone else got in · Your phone shows no service, but you still have it

02Official recovery path

Call your mobile provider as soon as possible and ask them to block your SIM card.Read to them:“Call your mobile provider as soon as possible and ask them to block your SIM card.”source
Ask for a new SIM card with the same phone number.Read to them:“Ask for a new SIM card with the same phone number.”source
Activate the new SIM and put it in your device.Read to them:“Activate the new SIM and put it in your device.”source
Open WhatsApp, enter your number in full international format, and enter the 6-digit code. Your lost phone is logged out automatically.Read to them:“Open WhatsApp, enter your number in full international format, and enter the 6-digit code. Your lost phone is logged out automatically.”source
Restore your chats from your Google Account or iCloud backup if you made one.Read to them:“Restore your chats from your Google Account or iCloud backup if you made one.”source
Check Linked Devices and log out anything you do not recognize.Read to them:“Check Linked Devices and log out anything you do not recognize.”source
Turn on two-step verification with a password and email if you had not already.Read to them:“Turn on two-step verification with a password and email if you had not already.”source

Did that get you back in?

Yes

Lock it down now. Change the password, turn on two-step, sign out other devices. It takes about 15 minutes.

No

A.If you start using a different number, use the change number feature to move your account. WhatsApp says if you do not, you could lose access permanently.Read to them:“If you start using a different number, use the change number feature to move your account. WhatsApp says if you do not, you could lose access permanently.”source
B.If you added a verified email to WhatsApp before, you can get the registration code by email when logging in to your existing account.Read to them:“If you added a verified email to WhatsApp before, you can get the registration code by email when logging in to your existing account.”source
C.If you set up a passkey before, you may be able to use it instead of an SMS code on your new device.Read to them:“If you set up a passkey before, you may be able to use it instead of an SMS code on your new device.”Unconfirmed, test pendingsource

Then: how long it takes

03How long it takes

No published timeline

WhatsApp does not publish a timeline. It depends on how fast your carrier gives you a new SIM with the same number.

While you wait

Lock or erase the phone with Find My (iPhone) or Find My Device (Android). WhatsApp cannot locate your phone.
Change the password of the email account on the phone first, since it can reset other accounts.
Tell close contacts the phone is gone, so they ignore odd messages.
Report a theft to the police and keep the report number.

04Warn your contacts

Send this from another account or by text, so nobody falls for messages sent in your name.

My phone was lost or stolen. Until I tell you otherwise, any WhatsApp message from my number asking for money, codes, or links is not from me. Please do not send anything.

More templates: email, followers, customers

05Watch out for recovery scams

People who just lost an account are the main target of fake helpers. Only WhatsApp's own app or website can restore your account.

Texts that say your lost phone was found and ask you to sign in on a link. They want your Apple or Google password. How it works
Fake "WhatsApp Support" accounts or callers who offer to restore your account. Only use help pages on whatsapp.com. How it works
Paid "account recovery" services and hackers-for-hire in comments and DMs. They cannot do anything you cannot do yourself, and many take money and vanish. How it works

All recovery scams and how to spot them

06Once you're back in: lock it down

0 of 9 doneAbout 19 minutes total

Turn on two-step verification with a password and email3 minOn Android, open Settings > Account > Two-step verification. On iPhone, tap You > Account > Two-step verification. Toggle on Turn on two-step verification, create a strong password, then add an email address you can access and tap Next. WhatsApp is replacing the old 6-digit PIN with a password, so set a password if you still have a PIN.source
Add and verify a recovery email2 minOpen Settings > Account > Email address > Add email (on iPhone, start from You). Enter the code WhatsApp sends to your inbox and tap Verify. A verified email lets you get a registration code without SMS. Use an email account that has its own strong protection.source
Create a passkey2 minOpen Settings > Account > Passkeys, then follow the prompts (on Android, tap Create passkey > Continue). A passkey uses your phone's fingerprint, face, or screen lock, so you can verify yourself without an SMS code. You need Android 9 or later with a password manager, or an iPhone 8 or later on iOS 16 or later.source
Log out devices you do not recognize2 minOpen Linked Devices (on iPhone, from Settings or your profile picture; on Android, from the menu). Tap any device you do not recognize, then tap Log Out. Repeat for each one. WhatsApp Web sessions show up here.source
Limit who can add you to groups1 minOpen Settings > Privacy > Groups and choose My contacts or My contacts except.... By default anyone with your number can add you to a group, which is how many scam groups reach people.source
Hide your profile from strangers2 minOpen Settings > Privacy and set Last seen, Profile photo, About, and Status to My contacts or Nobody. Scammers use your photo and name to pose as you. You can also turn on Silence unknown callers under Privacy > Calls.source
Turn on security notifications1 minOpen Settings > Account > Security notifications and turn on the setting to show them on this device. You will see a notice when a contact's security code changes, which happens when they move to a new phone. If that contact then asks you for money or a code, check with them another way first.source
Protect your SIM with your carrier5 minYour WhatsApp account follows your phone number. Ask your carrier for a SIM PIN or a port-out or number-lock protection so no one can move your number to their SIM. See the SIM-swap guide for what to ask for.Unconfirmed, test pending
Never share your WhatsApp code1 minNever share your 6-digit registration code or your password with anyone, not even friends or family. Anyone who asks for it, for any reason, is trying to take your account.source

Then do the 24-hour cleanup.

Free toolExposure CheckSee what of yours is already public.Free toolPassword Breach CheckCheck if a password shows up in known leaks.ReadHow to make sure your phone isn't hacked

07How it probably happened

Most likely
The phone was lost or stolen with the SIM inside
Also common
A thief uses the SIM to receive your codes
How this scam works
Less common
Follow-up phishing texts that pretend the phone was found
How this scam works

Account taken, recovery details swapped

08Report it

About reporting and blocking on WhatsApp

Lost money, being blackmailed, or someone is using your account to scam others? Report it to your country's cybercrime service too. If you are in danger, call your local emergency number.

United States

FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)Report online crime, including account takeovers that led to money loss or extortion. The IC3 never contacts you first and never asks for money.
FTC ReportFraudReport the scam to the Federal Trade Commission.
IdentityTheft.govUse it if someone used your Social Security number or opened accounts in your name. You get a recovery plan.

United Kingdom

Report Fraud (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)Run by the City of London Police. It replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101 instead.
Forward scam texts to 7726Free on most UK networks. Your provider can look into the sender and block it.
Report a scam email to the NCSCForward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk before you delete it.
Report Fraud: 0300 123 2040England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.

India

National Cyber Crime Reporting PortalRun by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs. Reports go to state and UT police.
Chakshu on Sanchar SaathiReport suspected fraud calls, SMS or WhatsApp messages to the Department of Telecommunications. It is not for money already lost: call 1930 for that.
National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930Toll free, 24 hours. Call fast if money left your account: it can help freeze the transfer.

Canada

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: report onlineVictims and witnesses can report fraud or cybercrime online. Also contact your local police as soon as you can.
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: 1-888-495-8501Toll free. The CAFC does not contact people to ask for money.

Australia

ReportCyberReport cybercrime to police. Your report may go to your state or territory police or the AFP.
ScamwatchReport a scam, even if you lost no money. The AFP also points people worried about identity theft to IDCARE, a free support service.
ReportCyber phone line: 1300 292 371Report concerns about cybercrime or cyber security incidents. If life is at risk, call 000.

09Questions people ask

Can WhatsApp deactivate my account?

No. WhatsApp says it cannot deactivate your account for you, because it has no way to verify you own the number.

Can I log out the lost phone from WhatsApp Web?

No. WhatsApp says you cannot log out of your account using WhatsApp Web or desktop, and remote deactivation from another device is not possible.

Can I recover WhatsApp without my old SIM?

Not without the same number. WhatsApp says you cannot recover an account without a SIM card with the same phone number.

Will I get my chats back?

Only if you made a backup. WhatsApp says a Google Account or iCloud backup may let you restore your chat history.

Can WhatsApp find my phone?

No. WhatsApp says it cannot help you locate your phone.

Sources and last check

Last verified: October 16, 2026. Steps checked against the platform's own help pages listed below. Device testing is ongoing; steps marked unconfirmed are still waiting for it.

How to recover a WhatsApp account from a lost or stolen device (read 2026-10-16)
How to register your phone number (read 2026-10-16)
How to recover a compromised account (read 2026-10-16)
How to check devices linked to your account and unlink a device you don't recognize (read 2026-10-16)
How to manage two-step verification settings (read 2026-10-16)

Wrong step or changed screen? Report it. Never include passwords or codes.