What you need before you start
WhatsApp requires three things to set up: a smartphone (iPhone or Android), an active phone number that can receive text messages, and either Wi-Fi or mobile data. You do not need an email address, a Facebook account, or any payment information. WhatsApp itself is free to read and use forever.
The phone number you use becomes your WhatsApp identity — people find and message you through it, so use a number you plan to keep. If you switch phones later, you can move your account to the new device by using the same number. If you change your number, you will need to create a new WhatsApp account.
WhatsApp works on phones only, not on computers or tablets, though you can use WhatsApp Web on a computer once your phone account is set up. The app takes about 50 megabytes of storage space.
Key Takeaways
- read WhatsApp from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android), then open it and tap "Agree and Continue" to start the setup process.
- Enter your phone number with the country code — WhatsApp will send a six-digit code by text message that you must enter to confirm you own the number.
- Create a profile by adding your name and a profile picture, though both can be changed later and the picture is optional.
- WhatsApp will automatically scan your phone contacts and show you which people already use WhatsApp, so you can start messaging right away.
- Your account is tied to your phone number, so if you get a new phone, sign in with the same number to restore your chats and settings.
read the app to your phone
Open the App Store if you have an iPhone, or Google Play Store if you have an Android phone. Search for "WhatsApp Messenger" — the official app has a green icon with a white phone symbol inside. Tap the read button (it may say "Get" on iPhone or show a cloud icon). The app will read and install automatically.
Once installation finishes, tap "Open" to launch WhatsApp for the first time. You will see a welcome screen with the WhatsApp logo and a button that says "Agree and Continue". Tap that button to move forward.
Enter your phone number and verify it
WhatsApp will ask for your phone number. At the top of the screen, you will see a country selector showing a flag and a country code (for example, +1 for the United States, +44 for the United Kingdom, +61 for Australia). Tap that selector if your country is wrong, then search for and select the correct one.
Below the country selector, type your phone number without any dashes or spaces — just the digits. For example, if you are in the United States and your number is 555-123-4567, type 5551234567. Tap "Next" when you are done.
WhatsApp will send a six-digit code to your phone by text message. This code arrives within seconds. Open the text message, read the code, and return to WhatsApp. The app will usually detect the code automatically and fill it in, but if it does not, type the six digits into the box that appears on your screen. Tap "Next" to confirm.
Set up your profile
After verification, WhatsApp will ask you to create a profile. Type your name in the box labeled "Profile name" — this is the name that appears to people when they message you. You can use your real name, a nickname, or anything else you prefer. You can change this name later whenever you want.
Below the name field, you will see an option to add a profile picture. Tap the camera icon to take a photo or the image icon to choose one from your phone's photo library. A profile picture is optional — you can skip this step by tapping "Next" without adding one. If you do add a picture, WhatsApp will let you crop and adjust it before saving.
Tap "Next" when your profile is complete. WhatsApp will then scan your phone's contacts and show you a list of people who already use WhatsApp. You can start messaging any of them right away.
Restore your chats if you are moving phones
If you are setting up WhatsApp on a new phone and want to keep your old messages, you need to restore them during setup. After you verify your phone number, WhatsApp will ask if you want to restore your chat history. Tap "Restore" if you see this option.
WhatsApp backs up your chats automatically to iCloud (iPhone) or Google Drive (Android) if you have those services turned on. The restore process pulls your messages from that backup and loads them onto your new phone. This can take several minutes depending on how many messages you have. Do not close the app or turn off your phone during this process.
If you do not see a restore option, it means WhatsApp did not find a backup. This happens if backups were turned off on your old phone, or if you are using a different type of phone (switching from iPhone to Android, for example). In that case, your old messages will not be available, but your new account will work normally.
Start messaging
Once setup is complete, you will see the Chats screen with a list of your conversations. To start a new conversation, tap the message icon (usually a speech bubble) in the bottom right corner. WhatsApp will show you a list of your contacts. Tap any contact who uses WhatsApp to open a chat with them.
Type your message in the box at the bottom of the screen and tap the send button (usually a paper airplane icon). Messages are sent over Wi-Fi or mobile data, not through text messages, so they do not count against your phone plan's text message limit.
You can also create a group chat by tapping the message icon and then selecting "New Group". Choose the people you want to add, give the group a name, and tap "Create". Everyone in the group will see all messages sent to that group.
Adjust your privacy and notification settings
WhatsApp has settings that control who can see your profile picture, status, and last seen time, and how notifications appear on your phone. To find these, tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the Chats screen and select "Settings".
In Settings, tap "Privacy" to control who can see your information. By default, anyone can see your profile picture and status. You can change these to "My Contacts Only" so only people in your phone's contact list can see them, or "Nobody" to hide them from everyone. You can also turn off "Last Seen" so people cannot see when you last opened WhatsApp.
Tap "Notifications" to control how WhatsApp alerts you to new messages. You can turn notification sounds on or off, change the sound, and set whether notifications appear on your lock screen. These settings are optional — your account works fine with the defaults.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Facebook account to use WhatsApp?
No. WhatsApp is owned by Meta (the company that owns Facebook), but you do not need a Facebook account to create or use WhatsApp. Your account is based only on your phone number.
What happens if I do not have a phone number that can receive text messages?
You cannot create a WhatsApp account without a phone number that receives SMS text messages. WhatsApp uses the text message to verify you own the number. If your number cannot receive texts, you will not be able to set up WhatsApp.
Can I use the same phone number on two different phones at the same time?
No. WhatsApp ties each account to one phone at a time. If you sign in on a second phone with the same number, your account will move to that phone and stop working on the first one. You can only use one phone per account.
Will my old messages disappear if I get a new phone?
Not if you restore from a backup. Before you switch phones, make sure WhatsApp backups are turned on in your Settings. When you set up WhatsApp on your new phone with the same number, choose "Restore" to bring your old messages back. If backups were off, your old messages will not be available.
Is WhatsApp really free, or will I be charged later?
WhatsApp is completely free. There are no hidden charges, no subscription fees, and no payment required. The app makes money through business features that are optional, but personal messaging costs nothing.