What Do I Do If My Account Is Locked on WhatsApp?

In a nutshell: Users who violate WhatsApp's terms and conditions may be locked out or banned from using the app. This can be prevented by adhering to the rules, such as not sending unsolicited messages and only communicating with known individuals. Users who are locked out or banned can recover their account by downloading the official WhatsApp version, opening the app to re-register their phone number, and following the provided steps. It is important to use WhatsApp responsibly to avoid a permanent ban.

Jeff Whelpley is the editor / author responsible for this content.
Dec 8, 2023

Introduction

Users violating WhatsApp terms and conditions will likely get locked out or banned from using the app. When you see a message that says, "temporarily banned" or "account not allowed to use WhatsApp," it means you can no longer use the app (temporarily or permanently).

You can prevent this by adhering to WhatsApp rules, which include not sending unsolicited messages and communicating only with people you know. If you're locked out or banned from WhatsApp, read this guide to recover your account.

Download the Official WhatsApp Version

Make sure you're using the official WhatsApp app or WhatsApp Business app so you can get your account unlocked, to avoid a temporary or permanent ban on your account in the future, and to ensure your data stays safe. Check the image below for WhatsApp's official logo.

What Do I Do If My Account Is Locked on WhatsApp? (Step 1)

Open the App

After installation, open the app to re-register your phone number. You may be able to recover your account if your number is temporarily locked out.

Enter the Phone Number Used for WhatsApp

You need to type in the mobile number you're using for WhatsApp to re-register it.

Choose your Country from the List

Enter the 6-digit Code

The code is sent to your phone number. Please enter this code right away, as it expires after a few minutes.

Hit Confirm

Tap Restore Backup

If a backup is stored on your iPhone or Google Drive, you can tap restore to regain access to your old messages and media.

Contact WhatsApp

When the steps above don't work, the next step is contacting WhatsApp to determine if you can unlock your account.

Open the App

Tap Request a Review

When you tap this option, WhatsApp will look into your case and decide to either unlock your account or permanently ban it. You will likely get access to your old account if you didn't violate any rules.

Enter the 6-digit Code

This is sent to you via SMS. You can only submit your request after typing the 6-digit code sent by WhatsApp.

Add Details to Support Your Case

Submit Your Request

Wait for WhatsApp to Get Back To You.

Conclusion

You can avoid getting locked out from WhatsApp by following the rules. If you use a broadcast list, avoid sending broadcast messages frequently. WhatsApp may permanently lock you out when you get reported multiple times for sending unsolicited messages. If a user asks you to stop sending messages, it's advised that you remove their phone numbers from your address book. Don't share their phone numbers either, or you could also get locked out. Just use WhatsApp responsibly to avoid a permanent ban on your account. If you have further questions, please get in touch with WhatsApp Customer Support.

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Jeff truly believes that all customers deserve good service. He’s been building tools, inventing phone tree hacks and helping customers since before his days at GetHuman. He's also a Google GDE and involved in the Angular community.
What Do I Do If My Account Is Locked on WhatsApp?

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Why does GetHuman Write How-to Guides for WhatsApp Problems?

GetHuman has been working for over 10 years on sourcing information about big organizations like WhatsApp in order to help customers resolve customer service issues faster. We started with contact information and fastest ways to reach a human at big companies. Particularly ones with slow or complicated IVR or phone menu systems. Or companies that have self-serve help forums instead of a customer service department. From there, we realized that consumers still needed more detailed help solving the most common problems, so we expanded to this set of guides, which grows every day. And if you spot any issues with our What Do I Do If My Account Is Locked on WhatsApp? guide, please let us know by sending us feedback. We want to be as helpful as possible. If you appreciated this guide, please share it with your favorite people. Our free information and tools is powered by you, the customer. The more people that use it, the better it gets.

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