WhatsApp: This happens when you don’t use your account for a long time

• WhatsApp will delete your account after more than 120 days of inactivity.
• The process takes place to protect your data.
• You are considered inactive if you do not have WhatApp installed or are not connected to the internet.

You haven’t used WhatsApp for a long time because you’re on other messengers, such as Telegram or Signal, and you’re surprised that your account is no longer available? The WhatsApp developers have revealed that accounts that have been inactive for more than 120 days or four months will be deleted.

“To maintain security, limit data retention, and ensure user privacy, WhatsApp accounts are typically deleted after 120 days of inactivity. This means a user has not established a connection through WhatsApp,” writes WhatsApp on their own FAQ website.

This step also makes sense because many network operators, such as Telekom or Vodafone, have a habit of recycling phone numbers, which means they give new customers the same numbers as former users.

If your cell phone number has now been inactive for more than 120 days, WhatsApp will perceive this as a number change and delete your account and associated information so that strangers in Messenger do not assume your identity.

When am I considered inactive?

You’ll be considered inactive if you have a WhatsApp account but don’t have the app installed, or if your device isn’t connected to the internet.

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But don’t worry, local content that was stored on the user’s device before the account deletion will remain until WhatsApp is removed. If you sign up for WhatsApp again on the same device, you will have access to the saved content again.