- Why WhatsApp needs a phone number
- Using WhatsApp on a device without a SIM
- The catch with linked devices
- What happens if you lose the number
- Ways to keep your personal number private
- Can I use WhatsApp with just an email?
- Using one number on two phones
- Using WhatsApp on Wi-Fi only
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
You can't create a WhatsApp account without a phone number: WhatsApp says you must register an active number to verify it. What you can do is use WhatsApp on up to four linked devices, such as a computer or tablet, without a SIM in them, as long as your main phone keeps its active account.
People search this for good reasons: a tablet with no SIM, a laptop at work, a second phone, or simply not wanting to hand out a mobile number. The honest answer is that every WhatsApp account starts with a phone number. But once you've got one, you can use WhatsApp on other devices that have no number of their own. Here's what's possible, what isn't, and the rule that can lock you out for good.
Why WhatsApp needs a phone number
WhatsApp's own getting-started guide is clear that you must register an active phone number for verification. Your number is your account. There's no username-only sign-up and no email-only option for the standard app.
| Number type | Accepted by standard WhatsApp? |
|---|---|
| Mobile number | Yes |
| Landline | No, landlines are only accepted on the WhatsApp Business app |
| VoIP number | No, WhatsApp lists VoIP as unsupported |
That landline point is worth knowing if you run a business. A shop or office line can't register the normal WhatsApp app, but WhatsApp's help says landlines are accepted on the WhatsApp Business app.
Using WhatsApp on a device without a SIM
This is the part that answers most people's real question. WhatsApp lets you link up to four devices to your main phone at the same time. Those devices don't need a phone number or SIM of their own. WhatsApp lists Windows, Mac, the web, Android tablets and WearOS among the device types.
- Set up WhatsApp on your phone with your number.
- On the second device, open WhatsApp (or WhatsApp Web) and choose to link it.
- On your phone, open WhatsApp's linked devices option and scan the QR code shown on the second device.
For an iPad, my guide to using WhatsApp on iPad walks through the set-up, and scanning a WhatsApp QR code covers the linking step if the camera won't read the code.
The catch with linked devices
- Your main phone has to stay active. WhatsApp says you need an active account on your primary phone to keep using WhatsApp on linked devices.
- Security codes only go to the phone. One-time passcodes received on WhatsApp appear only on your primary device, not on linked ones.
- Four is the limit. You can link up to four devices at a time.
What happens if you lose the number
Here's the risk nobody mentions when they set up WhatsApp on an old or borrowed number. WhatsApp's help says that if you lose access to your number and have no way to change it, you'll permanently lose access to your account. So don't build your business chats on a number you might give up, such as a temporary SIM or a number from a phone you're about to cancel.
Inactive accounts don't last forever either. WhatsApp says inactive accounts are generally deleted after 120 days, or 365 days in the US. If a spare number sits unused, the account on it can disappear.
Ways to keep your personal number private
- Use the WhatsApp Business app with a business landline, which WhatsApp accepts there.
- Use a second mobile number that you keep long term, rather than a throwaway one.
- Link a laptop or tablet to your main phone rather than registering another account on it.
Be wary of websites and apps promising a free virtual number for WhatsApp. WhatsApp lists VoIP numbers as unsupported, and even if one works briefly, you risk losing the account when that number lapses, which brings you straight back to the permanent lock-out rule.
Can I use WhatsApp with just an email?
Not to create an account. Registration itself is built on an active phone number, and that number stays the key to the account for as long as you use it. If you see a guide claiming otherwise, it's usually describing a linked device, which still depends on a phone somewhere.
Using one number on two phones
Another version of this question is wanting WhatsApp on a second phone without a second number. The linked devices feature is the route for that too: link the second device to your main phone rather than registering a new account on it. Your chats then appear on both, and the main phone remains the one that holds the account and receives the security codes.
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Using WhatsApp on Wi-Fi only
A related question: does WhatsApp need mobile data? No. Once your number is verified, WhatsApp works over Wi-Fi, so a phone with no data plan, or a linked tablet on home Wi-Fi, can send messages and make calls. The number just has to be able to receive the verification code when you first set it up.
If WhatsApp feels slow on a linked device, my guide to WhatsApp lagging or hanging has the fixes.
My verdict
You need a real, active mobile number to create a WhatsApp account, and landlines only work on WhatsApp Business. After that, link up to four devices with no SIM at all. Just keep the main number long term, because losing it with no way to change it means losing the account for good.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use WhatsApp without a phone number?
Not to create an account. WhatsApp requires an active phone number for verification. Linked devices can work without their own number.
Can I use WhatsApp on a tablet without a SIM?
Yes, as a linked device. You can link up to four devices to your main phone.
Can I register WhatsApp with a landline?
Not on the standard app. WhatsApp says landlines are only accepted on the WhatsApp Business app.
Do virtual numbers work with WhatsApp?
WhatsApp lists VoIP numbers as unsupported.
What happens if I lose my WhatsApp number?
If you lose access to the number and can't change it, WhatsApp says you'll permanently lose access to the account.
