WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion users. When you decide to delete your WhatsApp account, one of the key things you’ll want to know is how long the process takes. In this article, we’ll provide a detailed look at how long it takes WhatsApp to fully delete your account and data after you request deletion.
What happens when you delete your WhatsApp account
When you request to delete your WhatsApp account, it doesn’t get deleted instantly. WhatsApp goes through a few steps before fully removing your account and information from its systems:
Step 1: Your account is deactivated
After submitting your account deletion request, WhatsApp will first deactivate your account. This makes your account invisible to other WhatsApp users. They will no longer see your profile photo, last seen status, or any other information about your account.
At this stage, your account still exists in WhatsApp’s database but is inaccessible. You also won’t be able to reactivate your account after deactivation.
Step 2: Your account data is erased from WhatsApp servers
Within 30 days after deactivation, WhatsApp erases all your account information from its servers. This includes your profile photo, chat history, groups, media, and other data associated with your account.
However, there is still a possibility of recovering your data within those 30 days if you change your mind and want to reactive your account.
Step 3: Your account is permanently deleted after 30 days
After 30 days from the deactivation date, your WhatsApp account is permanently deleted along with all its data. There is no way to retrieve your account or data after this point.
Your account gets removed from WhatsApp’s databases and other storage systems. The phone number linked to your account also becomes available for reuse on WhatsApp after the 30 days period.
How long the WhatsApp account deletion process takes
Based on the above steps, it takes approximately 30 days from your deletion request for WhatsApp to fully erase your account and data from its systems.
Here is a summary of the timeline:
| Timeline | What happens |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Your account is deactivated when you submit the deletion request |
| Days 2-30 | Your account data is erased from WhatsApp servers but still recoverable |
| Day 30 | Your account and all associated data is permanently deleted |
As you can see, the account deletion process takes about a month from start to finish.
Your account disappears for other users immediately after deactivation. But it takes up to 30 days for the account to be wiped from WhatsApp’s systems and data logs.
Why does WhatsApp account deletion take 30 days?
WhatsApp does not instantly delete accounts after getting a deletion request. There are a few reasons behind the 30-day deletion process:
Allow time for account recovery
In case users change their mind, the 30-day window gives them an opportunity to recover their account. WhatsApp can restore deleted accounts with full data within those 30 days.
Complete pending account processes
Certain background processes related to the account, like delivering pending messages or removing data from backups, take some time. The 30-day period allows for their completion.
Adhere to legal data retention policies
WhatsApp may be legally required to retain user data for a certain duration. The 30-day retention allows them to comply with applicable data laws before permanently erasing accounts.
Remove data across systems and backups
WhatsApp stores account data across multiple servers and systems including backups. The 30-day window enables them to thoroughly wipe user data from all locations.
How to delete your WhatsApp account permanently
Here is a quick 5-step guide on how to delete your WhatsApp account:
Step 1: Open WhatsApp Settings
Launch WhatsApp and tap on the Settings icon in the bottom right (the 3 dots icon).
Step 2: Go to Account
In Settings, tap on Account > Delete my account.
Step 3: Select Delete account
This will open a confirmation prompt. Tap on the “Delete account” button to proceed.
Step 4: Enter your phone number
Enter your phone number again and tap Delete to confirm.
Step 5: Wait 30 days
Your account will now be scheduled for permanent deletion. Wait 30 days for WhatsApp to completely wipe your account data.
And that’s it! These steps will initiate the 30-day WhatsApp account deletion process after which your account will be gone forever.
Can you restore your WhatsApp account after deletion?
You can recover your recently deleted WhatsApp account and data if you change your mind soon after submitting the deletion request.
Here is the account restore time limit:
- Up to 30 days after deactivation: You can fully restore your account and data.
- 30-90 days: Account can be restored but chat history cannot be recovered.
- After 90 days: Your WhatsApp account cannot be restored.
To recover your account, simply install WhatsApp again and verify your number. WhatsApp will be able to pull your account details from its servers if it’s still recoverable based on the above timelines.
Does WhatsApp notify your contacts when you delete your account?
WhatsApp does not directly notify your contacts when you delete your account. However, there are a few changes your contacts might notice when your account gets deactivated:
- Your profile photo will disappear in their contact list.
- Last seen and online status will show as unavailable.
- Any messages sent by them will show as “pending” but not delivered.
These changes take place immediately after your account is deactivated by WhatsApp. But users don’t get a specific notification that your account was deleted.
Can you delete a WhatsApp account without the phone?
To delete your WhatsApp account, you need access to the phone number linked to the account. Without the phone, there is no way to directly request WhatsApp to delete your account.
However, here are a couple of options if you no longer have the phone:
Use account delete on a new phone
Install WhatsApp on a new phone and try verifying your old number. You can then delete your account through the app.
Contact WhatsApp support
You can contact WhatsApp support and request them to delete your account by providing details to verify your identity. But this route may take longer.
Format the phone
If you still have your old phone, formatting it will delete WhatsApp data and automatically deactivate the account. However, it can still be restored within 30 days unless permanently deleted by WhatsApp.
Does WhatsApp delete your account if you don’t use it?
WhatsApp does not delete or deactivate accounts simply due to inactivity. Your account will remain active indefinitely as long as you don’t delete it yourself.
This applies even if you stop using WhatsApp actively or uninstall the app from your phone. As long as you have the phone number, you can restore your account seamlessly.
The only exception is if you don’t use WhatsApp for over 120 days on a device running iOS. In that case, your account gets deleted from that device automatically but can still be restored with your number.
Can deleted WhatsApp accounts be hacked or misused?
Once your WhatsApp account is permanently deleted after 30 days, it essentially ceases to exist. So there is no way for a deleted account to be hacked or misused.
During the 30-day deletion process, while the data is still on WhatsApp servers, the account remains protected by WhatsApp’s security measures. It cannot be accessed or misused by anyone without verification.
The only risk is if someone else takes over your phone number within those 30 days. They could potentially reactivate and access your WhatsApp account before it is deleted.
Does WhatsApp delete your backed up chats when you delete your account?
When you delete your WhatsApp account, all your chat backups also get erased after 30 days. This includes:
- WhatsApp backups on Google Drive
- Local backups on your phone storage
- iCloud backups for iPhone users
So any chat history backups are also deleted by WhatsApp while permanently removing your account details from its servers.
Can I see deleted WhatsApp accounts and messages?
There is no way to view the contents of a WhatsApp account or chat history after the account is permanently deleted. WhatsApp completely wipes all user data making it unrecoverable after 30 days.
However, there are a few ways you can try to recover recently deleted WhatsApp data before 30 days:
- Restore from a local backup – if you had set up local backups on your phone.
- Retrieve from Google Drive or iCloud – if you had WhatsApp backup enabled.
- Use data recovery software – specialized tools may be able to salvage deleted data.
But these methods only work within 30 days if the WhatsApp account is not permanently deleted yet. Once the 30-day window lapses, all account data is gone forever.
Should I delete my WhatsApp account before getting a new phone?
It is not mandatory to delete your WhatsApp account when changing your phone. When you activate WhatsApp with the same number on a new phone, your account is automatically restored from backup.
However, here are some reasons you may want to delete your WhatsApp account before getting a new phone:
- You want a fresh start on the messaging app.
- Your old phone is being given to someone else.
- You want to purge old chats and media.
- You are switching from Android to iPhone or vice versa.
In most cases, users can simply install WhatsApp again on the new phone to restore their existing account and chat history. But if you want to wipe your WhatsApp slate clean, deleting your account before changing phones is recommended.
Conclusion
It takes approximately 30 days for WhatsApp to completely delete your account after you submit a deletion request.
Within this period, your account first gets deactivated and then all associated data like profile photo, groups, and chat history is erased. Once 30 days pass, your account ceases to exist on WhatsApp.
The full deletion timeframe enables WhatsApp to complete all account closure processes while giving you a window to recover your account if desired. So if you request a WhatsApp account deletion today, expect it to be permanently gone from WhatsApp’s systems after 30 days.