How to Change Your WhatsApp Number Without Losing Chats
WhatsApp has a built-in "Change Number" feature that migrates your account — including all chats, groups, and settings — to a new phone number. Your contacts can be notified automatically. This guide walks through every step, including what transfers, what doesn't, and what to do if you've already lost access to your old number.
Chats migrate
all messages and media transfer to new number
Groups stay
you remain in all groups automatically
Auto-notify
option to notify all contacts of number change
Both SIMs
standard method needs old AND new number active
You need both numbers active for the standard method
Before You Start: Back Up Your Chats
Always back up first
Even though the Change Number feature migrates your chats automatically, always create a fresh backup first. This protects you if anything goes wrong mid-process — the backup is your safety net. A backup takes only a few minutes and can save hours of lost conversation history.
Open WhatsApp → Settings → Chats
Tap the three dots (Android) or Settings icon (iOS). Then tap "Chats" from the settings menu.
Tap "Back Up Now"
This creates a local backup plus uploads to Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iPhone). Wait for it to complete — do not close the app during backup.
Verify the backup completed
The backup screen shows the date and time of last backup. Confirm it says "just now" before proceeding with the number change.
Check your cloud storage has enough space
WhatsApp backups can be several GB for accounts with lots of media. Ensure Google Drive or iCloud has sufficient free space. You can exclude media from the backup to reduce size if needed.
Step-by-Step: Change Number via WhatsApp Built-in Feature
The built-in Change Number feature is the official, recommended method and produces the cleanest migration. All your chats, media, groups, and settings move to the new number seamlessly. The old number's WhatsApp account is deactivated immediately upon completion.
Open WhatsApp Settings
Tap Settings (bottom right on iOS, three dots menu on Android) from the main chat screen.
Go to Account → Change Number
Tap "Account" → then "Change Number" from the account settings menu.
Read the information screen and tap "Next"
WhatsApp explains what will happen during the process. Read through it, then tap Next to continue.
Enter your old number
Enter your current (old) phone number with the full country code (e.g., +1 for US, +44 for UK, +91 for India). Tap Next.
Enter your new number
Enter the new phone number with full country code. Double-check it — this is where your account will move. Tap Done.
Verify the new number
WhatsApp sends a 6-digit verification code via SMS to the new number. Enter the code to verify ownership of the new number. If SMS does not arrive within 60 seconds, request a voice call instead.
Choose who to notify
Select: "All contacts" (everyone in your contacts), "Contacts in common" (mutual contacts only), or no notification. WhatsApp sends a message from your old number informing them of the change.
Confirm and complete
Confirm the migration. Your account, all chats, group memberships, and settings move to the new number immediately. The old number's WhatsApp account is deactivated.
You don't need to reinstall WhatsApp
What Transfers vs What Doesn't
| Item | Transfers Automatically | Does NOT Transfer |
|---|---|---|
| Chat history | All individual and group chat messages | Disappearing messages (deleted by design) |
| Media | Photos, videos, documents, voice messages | Status update history |
| Groups | Remain in all groups with new number | Need re-adding if using backup-restore method |
| Profile | Name, photo, About text, privacy settings | WhatsApp Pay (must re-register payment method) |
| Settings | All app settings and preferences | Linked WhatsApp Web sessions (log in again) |
| Business features | Catalog, quick replies, labels (WhatsApp Business) | WhatsApp Pay requires re-registration |
| Starred messages | Preserved across the migration | N/A — fully supported |
| Blocked contacts | Transferred to new number account | N/A — fully supported |
Alternative Method: If You Don't Have the Old SIM
Key difference: you'll lose group memberships
Ensure you have a recent cloud backup
Check Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iPhone) for your most recent WhatsApp backup. If the backup is old, you will lose messages since the last backup date. The backup details page shows when it was created.
Install WhatsApp and register with new number
Install WhatsApp on a device that has the new SIM. Open it and register using the new phone number. Complete the SMS verification — WhatsApp will send a code to the new number.
Restore from backup during setup
WhatsApp automatically detects the backup in your cloud storage and prompts you to restore. Tap "Restore" and wait for it to complete — this may take several minutes for large backups with lots of media.
Chats restore, but groups require re-joining
All chat history restores from backup. However, you will NOT automatically re-join group chats — group admins must invite you back using your new number. Make a list of important groups to request re-invites.
Notify contacts manually
Since the automatic notification from the old number will not fire, create a broadcast message or send a message to key contacts letting them know your new number.
Request re-adds to important groups
Contact the admins of important WhatsApp groups and ask them to re-add your new number. Provide your new number in the format they need (+country code). They can add you back directly through the group members list.
Comparing the Two Methods
| Item | Built-in Change Number | Restore from Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Old SIM needed | Yes — must verify old number | No — old SIM not required |
| Chat history | Transfers completely (live sync) | Restores from last backup (may be days old) |
| Group membership | Automatic — stay in all groups | Lost — must be re-added by admins |
| Contact notification | Automatic via WhatsApp | Manual — you must notify contacts yourself |
| Linked devices (Web) | Must re-link after migration | Must re-link after setup |
| Recommended when | Both numbers are accessible | Old SIM is lost or deactivated |
| Risk level | Low — official WhatsApp feature | Medium — depends on backup recency |
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Verification code not received on new numberWait at least 5 minutes before requesting again — there's a rate limit. Confirm you entered the correct country code. Check that the new SIM can receive international SMS (some prepaid SIMs block short-code SMS). Try requesting a voice call verification instead of SMS.'Change Number' option is greyed out or missingThis happens when your account has a cooldown from a recent number change (typically several weeks), or if your account has temporary restrictions. If neither applies, update WhatsApp to the latest version. Contact WhatsApp Support if the option remains unavailable.Chats are missing after the migration completesThe process may have used an older local backup rather than your cloud backup. Go to Settings → Chats → Chat Backup and compare the backup date to when you last had the messages. If your chat history backup is recent but chats are missing, try uninstalling and reinstalling WhatsApp, then restore from the cloud backup.New number already has an active WhatsApp accountWhatsApp warns you and asks if you want to replace the existing account on the new number. Back up the existing account associated with the new number FIRST, then proceed. The migration will deactivate the old account on that number and replace it with your migrated account.Groups show old number temporarily after migrationThis is normal. Group participant lists update asynchronously across WhatsApp's servers. Allow a few hours for all group members to see your updated number. No action is needed — it resolves automatically.Old number messaging stops
After the migration, anyone who messages your old number gets a delivery failure — that WhatsApp account is deactivated. This is expected behavior, not an error. Make sure all important contacts have been updated to your new number.
WhatsApp Web needs re-linking
After changing your number, all WhatsApp Web and Desktop sessions are disconnected. Re-link your devices by going to Settings → Linked Devices → Link a Device and scanning the QR code from each device.
WhatsApp Pay requires re-registration
If you used WhatsApp Pay, you must re-register your payment method on the new number. Payment history does not transfer — only the payment functionality needs to be set up again.
International number changes are supported
WhatsApp supports changing to a number in a different country. Include the full international code (+44, +91, etc.) when entering both numbers. The verification SMS goes to whichever country the new number belongs to.