WhatsApp Account is Hacked: How to Know and What to do?

Is My WhatsApp account hacked? Know if anyone is using your WhatsApp by other device. And also learn how to protect my WhatApp from hacking.

WhatsApp claims to offer end-to-end encryption to safeguard your chats. Also, using the same WhatsApp number on two devices is impossible. However, your WhatsApp account can be spied upon using WhatsApp Web. All your chats could be read by an unauthorized person. 

WhatsApp Web is a powerful feature released which lets users send or receive a message using any device by associating their WhatsApp Account using scanning a QR Code. The WhatsApp Web lets users simulate the WhatsApp account on any device with a fixed web browser. This can be used to spy or hack your WhatsApp.

I have found several ways to know if someone is spying on WhatsApp. Today in this post I will tell you how you can find which other phone or PC is accessing your WhatsApp. Also, I will explain how to keep yourself safe from breaches or getting hacked.

How to Know if Your WhatsApp is Being used on other Devices?

Often, people take an interest in your life. To sneak into your privacy, they can access your WhatsApp chats. All they need is a few seconds of your unlocked phone and WhatsApp Web Barcode. Boom!! They can now see an exact duplicate of your WhatsApp account with all the chat and media. 

The WhatsApp on your cell phone will work normally. However, every WhatsApp you send or receive will be visible on the device of the person spying on your chats. WhatsApp Web will simulate your WhatsApp account on the unauthorized device with all the chat logs, access to media, view status, and even send messages.


How to Know if they Spy via Whatsapp Web?

In case you missed it, I want to let you know that the first evidence will appear on the cell phone itself in the form of a notification.

WhatsApp_Web_Notification

If you missed it then you can check the account usage by doing the following.

  1. Launch WhatsApp on your phone.
  2. Tap the overflow icon.
  3. Select Linked Devices from the menu.
    Link WhatsApp Device

If one or several computers with open sessions appear which you have not given access to, then your WhatsApp account is compromised to another device. Your account is “intervened” and they are spying on you.

Notice any changes to the name, About section, or WhatsApp avatar that you never made. Any modification to these data may signify a hack resulting from a breach of your WhatsApp account.

What to do if WhatsApp is Open on Another Device?

To prevent WhatsApp from being hacked you can log out of all the sessions that are open and the person will lose access to your account immediately.

To avoid these things happening again, the most effective solution is to configure WhatsApp with App Lock. In this way, even if someone gets your phone, they can not access the WhatsApp application and connect it to a PC or other App via WhatsApp Web.

Know if WhatsApp is Open on Another Device

Another way in which persons can spy on WhatsApp is by activating the account on another device. They register your WhatsApp number in another mobile, and during their configuration, they recover all your chats or conversations saved in the application. Anyone can do this by taking their cell phone, to receive the verification code that WhatsApp sends.

If such a thing is done then on your phone you will be greeted with the message “This phone could not be verified” because the number is registered on another device.

You can re-verify your number to regain account access.

Protect Your WhatsApp Account from getting Activated on other Devices

There is a much-sophisticated method to protect your WhatsApp from getting active on another phone. All you need to do is enable two-step verification. To do so go to,

  1. Open WhatsApp.
  2. Tap the 3-dot icon and select Settings.
  3. Go to Account.
    Settings WhatsApp Account
  4. Tap on Two-step verification
  5. Press the button Turn On.
    Two Step Verification

Follow the further instructions on the screen to complete setting up the two-step verification on the WhatsApp account.

When someone tries to activate your WhatsApp on another device, he will be asked for a security code that only you know. Without that code, it will be impossible for another person to register your WhatsApp on another computer.

Check if Your WhatsApp Profile Info was Changed

If some unauthorized person has access to your WhatsApp chats, they may have made changes to your contact info.

  1. Open WhatsApp.
  2. Press the 3-dot icon at the top and go to Settings.
  3. Tap on your avatar to visit your WhatsApp profile information.
    WhatsApp Account

Notice any changes to the name, About section, or WhatsApp avatar that you never made. Any modification to these data may signify a hack resulting from a breach of your WhatsApp account.

Check WhatsApp Chats for Messages Exchanged with Unknown Contacts

When someone has remote access to your chats, they may have exchanged messages with some other person who is not in your contact list.

Usually, WhatsApp chat has so many messages from your contacts, groups, and businesses you follow that it is normal to overlook any message exchanged with an unknown person.

  • Launch WhatsApp.
  • Scroll through the chats.

If you see a message sent to a number or contact you never added on WhatsApp, block them immediately.


How to Know if Someone Hacked WhatsApp Files?

This is a complex method to gain access to the WhatsApp chat but it is an easy trick which can put your privacy at risk. A rogue can access the chat even with a locked WhatsApp account.

They will target the WA Chat log, images, videos, and other media in the File Manager. The cybercriminal can send the files to his/her device or they can use auto-backup apps like Backup Text for WhatsApp. Also, they can directly email all your WhatsApp conversations in plain text. This is a very serious type of threat and many WhatsApp users don’t know about it.

Keep Your WhatsApp Files Safe in File Manager

Update WhatsApp on your phone regularly to stay safe from getting your WhatsApp chat hacked or getting your media files shared on WhatsApp leaked. The updates consist of security patches with backup encryption. Also, it is better to have an App lock for File Manager if you think a person may go as far as to sneak into your personal life.

Note & Conclusion:

Although WhatsApp is end-to-end encrypted, make sure to check the Linked Devices to see if there’s some unauthorized device connected to your phone. Remove the connected devices from your WhatsApp account that you don’t recognize.

As of now, there is no other way to hack into someone’s WhatsApp, unless the hacker has your phone with all the apps unlocked. I hope the post was helpful. Comment below for any queries or support. Provide your valuable suggestions to improve this post.

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Nikhil Azza
Nikhil is a Tech Blogger who sometimes loves to write real-life lore. He has been writing content for the past 8 years, with over 1K+ articles written on Android, Mac, iOS, Social Media, Cloud Storage, Software, and General Tech. Know More

185 Responses

  1. Reginald Wood says:

    WhatsApp Webb is not an option when I click the three vertical dots

    • Nikhil says:

      Are you using a mod version?

  2. Misan says:

    I noticed that someone I was on WhatsApp call with was seeing other incoming calls alongside with their names, pls how can I stop that? Because when I click on WhatsApp web no option came out why.

    • Nikhil says:

      Re-login to your WhatsApp and Enable 2 step verification.

  3. Muhammad Rauf says:

    Sir By Mistake I have give My Whatss app Code to another Person now he has been using my whatss app plz tell me how i prevent or blocked him to use my whatss app

    • Nikhil says:

      Again register your number and change the code.

  4. Soldier says:

    hlo nikhil i m a Soldier please contact me i need your help brother

  5. Cassidy says:

    How many time is the two step verification suppose to ask for the code

    • Nikhil says:

      The WA will ask code randomly based on user WhatsApp behavoiur

  6. Nana says:

    hi, thank you for that information! I saw unknown device and logged it out immediately. Can i now get the login history to find out who was that? Thank you very much!

  7. Patrick says:

    Very very interesting thank you so much

  8. Patrick says:

    Please can the hacker number and attempt time be sent to me any time or even now pls

  9. Anthony says:

    This is quite expository. Thanks a bunch. How do I update my WhatsApp regularly and also, where’s the applock located?

    • Nikhil says:

      Latest Android OS has an inbuilt App lock. You can update the WhatsApp from Play Store.

  10. Dhagu says:

    I have shared my watsup barecode to take print out that browsing centre man asked me to open watsup and he scanned using “watsup web app” to his system barecode and he open my watsup in its computer and all my chats are visible to him after taking printout he said it will be logged out automatically but am really not sure whether he logged out or not how to check that whether my account is safe..please say me..

    • Nikhil says:

      Go to WA Web in your WhatsApp and check for any logged devices. If present immediately Log out

  11. Ani says:

    Some scammers initially gained access to my WhatsApp application by asking me to give them the verification code sent to my phone. Thank God I immediately tried to access my WhatsApp and got notified my number had been changed. I re-verified my account and activated the two-step authentication which before now wasn’t activated. I hope now my account is safe?

  12. Tara says:

    I never gave my phone out to anyone or shared any barcode but my WhatsApp kept popping notification that someone either just logged in or logged out. How is that possible?

  13. Jameela says:

    This is helpful thank u so much

  14. Amy says:

    I don’t have a PC to scan on the Watsapp web. What do i do? I know someone is spying my watsapp

    • Kushal says:

      Check WhatsApp Web Settings to know which device is logged in, if any and log out all the sessions

  15. Divya says:

    I found it very helpful, thank you.

  16. Bussy says:

    Is it possible for WhatsApp web to be initiated for the first time without the person scanning the QR code on my phone. Also I am unable to see a history of devices that has accessed my WhatsApp web as I got a notification few times that my WhatsApp web was active but I do not recollect deactivating the device shown at the time as I did not know what it meant. Please help, thank you

    • Nikhil says:

      No it is not possible to start access to WA Web without Barcode Scan, aslo no history is available once the device gets logged out the data vanishing

  17. iman says:

    Hi, I found it useful and helpful and i need to know one more thing i want to send a picture of ss

  18. Fatima says:

    Someone scanning something I don’t know but like he is scanning a code after 2days I noticed he knows what I’m discussing with my friends so I deleted my account .is it possible now for him to continue receiving my messages? Can I download it again or I should change numbers thank you

    • Vinay says:

      If someone is using Whats Web Scan app and we dont know password of it, can we somehow find its password without that person knowledge?

      • Nikhil says:

        Nope. But you can log out of sessions

  19. cris says:

    if i putt two step verification if someone had before my whatsapp now he will need a pasword for using again?

  20. Helena says:

    Is it safer NOT to have whatsapp web? I don’t . When I click on the 3 dots on my phone it tell me to go to whatsapp. com on my computer, pair my hone etc..

  21. Steve says:

    i received a message from WhatsApp saying they have received a large number of complaints about my account….I only chat with one person I know and trust…has the account been hacked??

    • Nikhil says:

      Maybe you got a wrong email. Check if any Web access is available, if not then it is a fake email. Because WhatsApp doesn’t send any personel email as our email ID is not registered with the WhatsApp. So, relax someone maybe playing a prank on you.

  22. Awais Ali says:

    My no number is using by some body as whtsp and emo how I delete that accounts bcs I am not using whtsp on thi no

    • Nikhil says:

      Just register the number on your WhatsApp. The other will be auto deactivated

  23. Shane says:

    Someone is spying on me and she sees all my messages. How do I stop that bcoz when I go to WhatsApp web to logout from all devices it says I must scan qr code which is I don’t even know. What is the solution to this problem?

    • Nikhil says:

      When it asks you to scan QR code it means you can register a device with WhatsApp Web. You can check for logged in devices below the WhatsApp Web QR Scan Option. If device is shown, then your account is safe.

  24. Anynmous says:

    Hi I have received a text from one of my friend number and same msg is been coming from her brother number… Wat she has msged me same as it is has come…and same replys also were there which I sent ….her s help fr this

    • Nikhil says:

      sms forwarding may the issue. It should be fixed from senders side.

  25. Rajesh says:

    I think my mobile has been hacked

  26. nahthen says:

    it happened twice .i was texting to my friend and i noticed another window opened above the my typing space has some weird name on it and what ever i was typing it typed in that window too.and after 20 or so second it disappeared.
    what is that

  27. Bernice says:

    How can I find out who hacked a whats app account

  28. Minu says:

    My mother got a call from my whatsup at 4:00am when my phone was untouched by me…it was on charger n nobody touched it(100% sure about it)..I didn’t believe it so asked for the screen shot .. and was surprised to see my whatssup call? How is it possible.

  29. Phiwe says:

    Hi someone tried hacking my account and now it is blocked,how do I unblock it

  30. Unknown says:

    Also wether they can login again after I returned

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