WhatsApp may soon require periodic SIM checks for Indian contact numbers: Here’s what it means

WhatsApp is reportedly planning to introduce a massive change for users in India as it plans to comply with new government-mandated SIM verification rules. The Meta-owned instant messaging platform is making a system that will periodically confirm whether an account remains linked to an active mobile number. This comes after the Department of Telecommunications issued a directive to curb the misuse of disconnected or reassigned phone numbers.

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The feature, which is currently in beta testing, is expected to bring background SIM validation and session renewals to Indian users in the coming months. According to information discovered in the most recent WhatsApp beta for Android (version 2.26.8.6), the company is developing technical solutions to ensure compliance with India’s mandatory SIM linkage framework. WhatsApp currently only verifies a user’s phone number during the initial login process using a six-digit code. There is no ongoing mechanism to confirm whether the SIM is still active after the first authentication.

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Under the new system, WhatsApp will conduct background checks on a regular basis to ensure that the registered SIM card is still active on the device. Users may be prompted to enter a new six-digit code to renew their session. Accounts that fail SIM validation may have access restricted until verification is successfully completed, but chat history and pending messages are expected to be unaffected.

According to reports, passkey-based logins may not be a viable alternative to SIM-based revalidation because the regulation requires confirmation tied to an active mobile number. However, WhatsApp’s existing two-step verification system will continue to work as usual and will not be replaced by the new SIM compliance requirement.

The update will only affect Indian users, specifically those with phone numbers prefixed with the +91 country code. Users in other countries should not expect any changes to their authentication flow. The feature is still in development and will most likely be rolled out gradually after internal testing is completed.

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Ashish Singh

Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek. View Full Profile