Of course, there are legit ways to hide WhatsApp account from unknown number. You don’t even need those modified WhatsApp versions such as GB to get this done. When you sign up for WhatsApp, you automatically become a WhatsApp user in the contact list of anyone who saved your phone number. The good side is that nobody gets notified like it’s done on Telegram. Unfortunately, some businesses or individual users have turned WhatsApp into a spam hub, sending unsolicited messages you never signed up for.
And like some users, you may prefer some level of anonymity, which means you want to keep the WhatsApp account hidden, especially from people you don’t know.
How to hide WhatsApp account from unknown number
The story you don’t want to read is that you have no control over who can contact you on WhatsApp. Even if WhatsApp decided to give this feature a shot, it won’t be perfect and can affect known people trying to get in touch with you.
That said, below are ways to hide WhatsApp account from unknown number:
1. Get a new phone number
If an unknown number won’t stop messaging and you don’t like to block people, you can get a new WhatsApp phone number. This should only be the case if you recently registered the number as yours. Besides, your WhatsApp number may have been initially owned by someone who subscribed to these messages.
Telecom providers reassign numbers within 90 days after they become deactivated. However, there is no specific time limit. This means that some area codes with high demand for recycled numbers will perform the reassignment much more quickly.
If you don’t welcome the idea of getting a new WhatsApp phone number, consider deactivating WhatsApp temporarily for that number.
You may be well off using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). Google Voice and Talkatone are two such apps you should consider for this purpose. However, if you need an app with functionality beyond WhatsApp, simple calls, and texts, consider Sideline, Flyp, Burner, or Hushed.
2. Report to WhatsApp
WhatsApp allows you to report a contact, so this tool could be just what you need to get rid of that unknown number.
To report a contact, do the following:
- Open the chat of that unknown user
- Tap their contact phone number
- Scroll down and tap Report.
When you report the unknown number to WhatsApp, WhatsApp will receive the last 5 messages they sent to you. That person won’t also be notified that you’ve reported them.
Using the report tool will also allow WhatsApp to get the user ID, information on when the message was sent, and the type of message sent, such as video, image, text, document, etc.
Another method you can use to report a user is to long press a single message they sent to you. It can be a spam message or any other message the unknown person sent that you dislike. Follow the steps below:
- Long press the WhatsApp message
- A context menu will open, now, tap Report
You’ll also get a confirmation notification before the report is sent to WhatsApp.
Like texts, you can report a WhatsApp video or photo message sent as “view once”. Do the following:
- Open the view once photo or video
- Tap More (check the bottom corner)
- Hit Report Contact
WhatsApp will review the report and make decisions. Sometimes, they can ban the user.
3. Block the unknown number
WhatsApp lets you block an unknown number, the same way you block a WhatsApp contact. When a user is blocked, you’ll no longer receive messages, calls, and status updates from them. It’s preferable to block someone if you’ve informed them to stop the spam or whatever activity they’re doing but they won’t.
Note that if someone is threatening you, you need to report it to the police. Just blocking them is not enough.
WhatsApp provides 2 blocking methods:
a. If it’s the first time you’re receiving a message from an unknown number, open the chat and hit Block » Block.
b. If it’s not the first time you’re receiving a message from an unknown person, do the following:
- Open the chat
- Tap the phone number
- Tap Block Contact
- Tap Block or Report Contact
- Tap Report and Block
That’s it—you just blocked an unknown WhatsApp number. Thus, they’ll no longer see your last seen, online, status updates, and your profile photo will no longer be visible to them.
Conclusion
So, which of these methods is your most convenient? Do well to share it with us and thousands of other readers via the comment section. Don’t forget to share other alternatives you’ve discovered via the comment, of course, you’d get credit for that!
Read Also: How to stay hidden on WhatsApp while chatting
