How to delete WhatsApp from a phone number?

How to delete WhatsApp from a phone number - briefly?

To delete WhatsApp from a phone number, you can either delete the app from your device or temporarily deactivate your account if you intend to reuse the same number in the future.

How to delete WhatsApp from a phone number - in detail?

To permanently delete WhatsApp from your phone, you need to follow these steps:

  1. Backup Your Data: Before deleting WhatsApp, it's crucial to back up your chat history. This can be done by going to WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Choose the Google Drive account where you want to save your backup and click 'BACK UP'.
  2. Delete the WhatsApp Application: Once you have backed up your data, you can delete the WhatsApp application from your phone. Here’s how:

    • For Android devices: Go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Uninstall.
    • For iOS devices: Press and hold the WhatsApp icon until it jiggles, then tap the 'x' that appears on the top-left corner of the app icon. Confirm the deletion when prompted.
  3. Remove Your Account from WhatsApp Servers: Simply deleting the app doesn’t remove your account from WhatsApp servers. To do this:

    • Open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Account.
    • Tap on 'Delete my account'. You will be prompted to enter your phone number in international format (e.g., +1234567890).
    • After entering the number, tap 'DELETE MY ACCOUNT'. This action is irreversible, and all your messages, groups, and settings will be permanently deleted from WhatsApp servers.
  4. Clear Residual Data (Optional): If you want to ensure that no residual data remains on your device, you can clear the app’s cache and data:

    • For Android devices: Go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Storage & cache > Clear Storage/Clear Cache.
    • For iOS devices: Unfortunately, iOS does not provide an option to clear cache and data directly for individual apps.

By following these steps, you can effectively delete WhatsApp from your phone number and ensure that all associated data is removed from both your device and the WhatsApp servers.