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. Ncy says:

    I was checking on my friend number on another phone and said “ the # … …. does not have a whats app acc. But that’s not true because I was talking to her that same min. Via WhatsApp. How can this be?

  2. Shantal says:

    I strongly believe my WhatsApp was hacked

  3. khadim Hussain says:

    hi my friend is getting back massage repeatedly ” backing up massages creating a local backup (100%) backups occur at 2:00 am” kindly let me know what should i do ? do this whats app is hacked or this is normal massage and ignore it plz help

  4. shae says:

    when i click the whatsapp web it will tell me to scan a code but no device name is shown under

    • Nikhil says:

      It means your WhatsApp is not being used on any other Device and it safe. 🙂

  5. Samantha Marais says:

    They do it every day like no joke and i just want some privacy from them there is nothing to hide i just want privacy

  6. Marymargaret (Shinymathew ) says:

    Thank you I like it since my mobile is been open book I don’t get many messages so I will come back again for ur help thank you this no is registration is my hus names is it that matters or not ? Please give that information too thank you

  7. Kumar abhishek says:

    actually i went to a cafe to take out a printout and the file was on my WhatsApp chat so he told me that he will login into my WhatsApp through his desktop and he did it by scanning the barcode of his desktop , after my work was done i told the man toh log out from there he told me why , i answered him because u need to and after that he did log out but while i was going back he told me that he could still access my WhatsApp chat . is it possible to access it again although being logged ou ? plzz answer my question , it would be really grateful of you . thank you

    • Nikhil says:

      No, since he logged out it is not possible for him to access your WA. Also, you can check if any active session is logged in for WhatsApp. Just go to WhatsApp – Web – Sessions.

  8. My self says:

    I have done all security but still someone reads my msg he knows everything what i am sending and what is coming to me plz help me how can i can protect my what’s app

  9. Shanzay says:

    I have received whats up code via sms and i accidentally send to someone i feel that someone hacked my whats up account
    What should i do kindly help me

    • Nikhil says:

      Don’t worry just check if someone is logged in to your WA Web, if yes then log out.

  10. Nidhi bhavsar says:

    Thanks for the post.

  11. Syed wajahat iqbal jeelani says:

    I think some one has scanned my whatsapp last year from my phone to his phone .after some one told me i have logout your WhatsApp in your phone .but there is no option of logout in WhatsApp.
    Now i deleted my WhatsApp how can i check has he scanned my WhatsApp or not.
    Plz reply as soon bcz i am in very trouble.

  12. Syed wajahat iqbal jeelani says:

    If someone has scanned my whatsapp from phone to phone last year.
    I don’t know now after one year i updated my whatsapp.
    Now how to check has he scanned my whatsapp or not.
    Is their any way to check or any software.

  13. Sum says:

    Can we see last active devices on our phone after being logged out from pc

  14. Arthur says:

    I have just activated the two-step verification. Does that mean nobody can hack into my account?
    Thank you

    • Nikhil says:

      They still can access Web, 2 step protects if WhatsApp finds any suspicious behaviour. Better use App lock.

  15. Manuel says:

    Hi
    Have an iphone, have no additional devise set up with whatsapp web.
    Can I see directly in my iphone by going to WA web if someone is spying via that method?

  16. caroline says:

    Hi

    I have added a two step verfication but somehow the phone that was stolen has my app and they are still getting my messages…. How can I stop this??? The phone is being used with another number.

  17. sabz says:

    i do not see any device on my whats app web, but i suspicious that someone spy my whats app chats please tell me its possible or not.

  18. PHYL says:

    Thank you so much for this article. It has really been helpful . Please I would like to find out if the person can also view your video calls and also listen to all your voice calls when they hack into the phone using Whatsapp web…. thank you

    • Nikhil says:

      No Video & Voice Call Feature is still not supported for WhatsApp Web. So, Relax 🙂

  19. alvine says:

    Today 19 march 2020, my friend whatsapp account being hacked. all his mobile contact being use for cheating. my friend unable retrieve his whatsapp account and have to wait 12 hours to received verification code.

    what we should do? how did they do it, manage get his account and modified all his whatsapp?

  20. Tad says:

    hi
    i think someone has access to my whatsapp. I checked my whatsapp web but there are no any other devices connected.

  21. PJ says:

    Can anyone retreive deleted messages from my whats app on his/her mobile phone if they have access to my phone?

    • Nikhil says:

      If old deleted than not possible if real-time deleted than he/she can.

  22. Nikhil says:

    Check WhatsApp web in WhatsApp Application Menu

  23. EB says:

    Thanks for the post. I would like to know if is there a way to have access to my whatsapp chats without me knowing (like the notification on the phone when whatsApp web is on). I’ve checked the options you’ve mentioned and all are ok, but I keep seeing chats that I haven’t opend being marked has unread (without the number of messages left unread) without me opening them…

    • Nikhil says:

      It’s totally fine to get unread chats. Don’t worry

  24. ruchi says:

    i m worried my whatsapp no. is login by someone when i open there window they appeared online

  25. G says:

    I am getting an additional what’s app window at the bottom of the phone it’s like a transparent Banner that can open in a full page and says good evening or you arrived home etc what is this please

  26. Priyanka Rath says:

    Someone has monitored my watsapp account since 3yts

  27. Sashi says:

    I have kept 2 step verification code in my Whatsapp still it has been hacked by some how….

    • Bhoomi says:

      Someone is using my whatsapp for chatting with third person. How do I stop.

      • Nikhil Azza says:

        re-register your WhatsApp number

  28. Shruti says:

    Actually i had doubt that my dad has been hacked my whatsapp . But when I saw that by changing two step verification pin it will be not hacked any more plz tell me that will it work.

  29. Balkiss says:

    Please assist me
    Someone is reading my watsapp chats
    Different people have complained to me
    Immediately he claims to b d admin and send code to them
    Pls how can I block people from reading my chats

    • Nikhil says:

      delete WhatsApp and again register

  30. Osman says:

    Hi good morning sir,
    I want to know about device hacked if someone hack the mobile how to know. And also whatsapp chats how can I know about they hacked my whatsapp and mobile they are spying me, I want to know fully detail,
    Yours well wishers,

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