How to recover WhatsApp without your SIM card
Quick answer
WhatsApp is tied to your phone number, not the SIM itself. To get your account back, you need to receive a code on that number again: the most reliable way is a replacement SIM or eSIM for the same number from your carrier. If you set up email verification, WhatsApp may email the code instead. Linked devices keep working for a while, and your chats come back from your Google Drive or iCloud backup.
A lost or broken phone, a stolen SIM or a number you can't receive texts on anymore: all of these make WhatsApp ask for a code you can't get. The fix depends on whether you still own the number. Here's the order to try things in.
Step one: get the number back
Ask your carrier for a replacement SIM or eSIM for the same number. Carriers do this routinely after loss or theft, usually with ID. Once it works, register WhatsApp on your phone and the code arrives as normal.
Other ways WhatsApp can verify you
- Email verification, if you added a verified email in WhatsApp's settings before.
- A voice call to the number, if you can receive calls on it somewhere else, such as a forwarded landline.
- Linked devices: WhatsApp Web or desktop may still work for a while, but they can't re-register the number.
Restoring your chats
Chats come back from your backup during registration: Google Drive on Android, iCloud on iPhone. Make sure you sign in to the same Google or Apple account. Without a backup, only linked devices may still show recent chats.
If the account was on a temporary number
A temporary number from a service like Noir SMS is recycled, and you can't get it back once it's gone. That's why we recommend adding an email and a PIN, and moving any account you care about to your own number with Change number while you still have access.
Frequently asked questions
Can I recover WhatsApp with just my email?
Only if you added and verified an email in WhatsApp before, and WhatsApp offers it for your device.
Can I get my WhatsApp back with a different number?
Not the same account. A new number is a new account, though you can move chats with Change number while you still have the old one.
What if someone stole my SIM?
Ask your carrier to block it and issue a replacement, then re-register WhatsApp. Set a two-step PIN so a thief can't re-register.
Will I lose my chats?
Not if you have a backup on Google Drive or iCloud.
Services in this guide
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