When you uninstall WhatsApp from your phone, your account and messages remain safe as long as you’ve backed them up. You can’t access them until you reinstall the app. However, if you leave the app uninstalled for 120 days or more, WhatsApp may delete your account due to inactivity. You can also delete your WhatsApp account to erase all your data permanently.
That being said, there are some nuances to consider. Let’s talk more about what happens when you uninstall or delete WhatsApp. Here’s a quick overview:
| Uninstalling WhatsApp App | Deleting WhatsApp Account | |
|---|---|---|
| Account status | Account remains active on WhatsApp servers. | Account is permanently deleted from WhatsApp servers. |
| Data | Account data (profile, settings) remains on servers. | All account data (chats, media, contacts) is permanently erased from servers. |
| Chat History/Media | Can be restored if previously backed up to iCloud or Google Drive. | Cannot be recovered. |
| Incoming Messages | Others can send messages, but you won’t receive them until reinstallation. | You won’t receive any messages sent after account deletion. |
| Profile Visibility | Profile remains visible to others. | Profile is no longer visible to others. |
| Group Members | Remains in groups. | Removed from all groups. |
| Reinstallation | Resumes app with data (if backed up). | Creates a new account with no previous data. |
| Reversibility | Easily reversible by reinstalling the app. | Irreversible, cannot be undone. |
| Purpose | Temporary break, saving space, or troubleshooting. | Permanently leaving WhatsApp, privacy concerns. |
Table of Contents
What Happens After You Delete the WhatsApp App
You can uninstall WhatsApp for a temporary break or free up space on your phone.
Uninstalling is simple. You can press and hold the WhatsApp app icon, then tap Uninstall (on Android) or Remove App > Delete App > Delete (on iOS).
After you uninstall the WhatsApp app:
- The app is removed: The app is removed from your device, but your account and associated data (profile picture, settings, etc.) remain on WhatsApp’s servers.
- Chat history can be restored: Your chat history and media files can be restored after you reinstall the app only if you previously backed them up to iCloud or Google Drive.
- You can’t see incoming messages: Others can still send you messages, but you won’t receive them until you reinstall the app.
- Your profile remains visible: Others can still see your profile photo, About section, and last seen status (if you haven’t hidden it in your privacy settings).
- Reinstallation resumes the app: Upon reinstalling WhatsApp and logging back in, you can restore your data and continue using the app as before.
What Happens After You Delete Your WhatsApp Account
You can permanently delete your WhatsApp account by going to Settings > Account > Delete my account within the app. Enter your phone number in full international format and select your reason for deleting the account.
While the deletion process itself is immediate, WhatsApp may take up to 90 days to erase all of your information from their servers. But don’t worry, neither you nor anyone else can see this data.
After you delete your WhatsApp account:
- Account and data erased: Your account, along with all associated data (chats, media, contacts), is permanently removed from WhatsApp’s servers.
- Data recovery impossible: You cannot recover any deleted data after your account has been deleted.
- Group removal: You are automatically removed from any WhatsApp groups you were a part of.
- New account upon re-registration: If you use the same phone number to create a new WhatsApp account, it will be treated as a fresh account without any of your previous data.
Does WhatsApp Automatically Delete Your Account?
Yes, WhatsApp can automatically delete your account if it remains inactive for an extended period. So if you choose to uninstall WhatsApp, make sure you check in on once in a while. Here are two scenarios:
When You’re Inactive for 120 Days or More
If you haven’t connected to WhatsApp for 120 days or more, your account will generally be deleted to maintain security, limit data storage, and protect your privacy. This also applies if you have the app open but don’t have an internet connection. If your account becomes inactive, your profile picture might be removed.
Remember, any content saved locally on your device (like photos, videos, or chats) will remain until you delete the WhatsApp app itself. If you re-register on the same device, this content will reappear.
When You’re Inactive for Over 45 Days
If you don’t use WhatsApp for 45 days but log in to the app from the same device before 120 days, your account will not be deleted and will continue as usual.
However, if you log in to WhatsApp from a different device after 45 days of inactivity, WhatsApp may consider the phone number to be recycled. In this case, they will delete your old account data to protect the new user who has presumably been assigned the recycled phone number.
Does Deleting WhatsApp Account Unblock You For Others?
While it’s natural to think that deleting your WhatsApp account will unblock you for others, it won’t. When someone blocks you, the restriction is set within their WhatsApp account settings, and deleting your account doesn’t change that. I confirmed this by blocking a spare WhatsApp account from my main account and then deleting the spare one. Even after re-registering, the spare account remained blocked.
Furthermore, if someone blocks your WhatsApp number, and you later delete your account and the number is reassigned to a new user, the block will likely remain. This is because the block is linked to the phone number itself, not the specific WhatsApp account.
