WhatsApp

Question

After several years of uninterrupted use, I was locked out of WA on either July 20 or 21. I don’t know why. I knew for certain on the Friday because that was when I tried to use the app without success but I hadn’t used my phone for nearly 24 hours beforehand, hence the reason I don’t know exactly when lock out occurred.

On the Friday, I was directed to the screen where I was advised I had set up 2 step verification on the phone and to insert the 6 digit PIN I had used during that process. None of my normal numbers worked so I hit the link for ‘forgotten pin’. This said my PIN would be sent to the email address I had used when setting up 2SV but it never arrived, presumably because the email address was not in use anymore.

As such, I had no choice other than to wait 7 days to start all over again. Today is July 29 and my excitement turned to incredible disappointment when I was asked exactly the same questions as on July 21.

Does anyone know what has gone wrong please? Has my account been hacked or stolen? Are my chats and messages at risk of leakage? And is the seemingly incredibly antiquated 7 day process the only way of resetting my PIN in any event? Can’t WA used FID or similar?

If anyone can help, I’d be incredibly grateful but no amount of research by me today has revealed even a sniff of a solution.

wextio · Answer

Your WhatsApp account has been locked out due to two-step verification. When you enable two-step verification, you create a six-digit PIN that is used in addition to your password to sign in to your account.

https://pathedits.com/blogs/tips

James Watson · Answer

Have you double-checked that mailbox, including the spam folder? Are you sure that there is not any email from WhatsApp with a reset link?

On the other hand, it's after the 7-day period, open WhatsApp > tap **Forgot PIN**, can't you see a **Reset** button now?

Journey Through Time · Answer

While I cannot directly resolve the issue, I can offer some guidance on what you can do:

Contact WhatsApp Support: Your best course of action would be to reach out to WhatsApp support directly. You can often find a support option within the app or on WhatsApp's official website. Explain your situation and provide them with as much information as possible.

Recovery Email: Since you mentioned that you didn't receive the PIN reset email because your previous email address was not in use anymore, double-check that you have access to the email address associated with your WhatsApp account. If you regain access to that email, you might be able to reset your PIN.

Two-Factor Authentication: It's possible that your account has two-factor authentication (2SV) enabled for added security. This is a good thing, but it can make account recovery more complicated if you forget your PIN. WhatsApp may have enforced a waiting period to ensure that the account recovery request is legitimate.

Data and Chats Security: Your chats and messages on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted, which means they are highly secure. Even if your account were compromised, the contents of your chats would still be encrypted and not easily accessible by unauthorized individuals.

Alternative Contact Methods: Try reaching out to your WhatsApp contacts through other means, such as phone calls or alternative messaging apps, to inform them of your situation. This can help prevent any confusion or security concerns on their part.

Preventing Future Lockouts: In the future, make sure to keep your PIN and recovery email address up to date in your WhatsApp settings. This will help you avoid similar issues.

Remember that WhatsApp's support team is likely the best resource for resolving account access issues. They can guide you through the specific steps needed to recover your account, and they will be able to assist you based on the information you provide.

Lastly, it's essential to be cautious about sharing sensitive information related to your account online, as it could potentially be used by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access. Always rely on official channels and support when dealing with account-related issues.