How To Verify WhatsApp Without Using Your Phone Number

WhatsApp has been around for years and is still as popular now as it was when it first launched. Even though it is owned by Facebook, it has managed to maintain its independence and has not fallen into the same data harvesting habits as its owner.

One thing that is a cause for concern with new users is the requirement to use your phone number. It seems that WhatsApp uses your phone number only for verification. If for some reason, you cannot use your phone number, there are still ways you can verify the app. This tutorial will show you how to verify WhatsApp without that phone number.

Use WhatsApp without using your phone number

When you first install WhatsApp, you are greeted with a phone verification screen. This screen requests both your phone number and country. WhatsApp will then send a code to your phone. If you are registering on the device with the phone number being used for verification, WhatsApp will pick it up automatically and verify your phone.

If it doesn’t automatically pick up the SMS, you can simply enter the code into the app, and you’ll be registered. It’s a simple system that works well, although sometimes it can be inconvenient.

There are four easy ways to register WhatsApp without using your phone number; you can use an online SMS service, a landline, Google Voice or Skype, or a payphone or someone else’s number.

Online SMS

There are hundreds of SMS websites on the internet today. It’s easy to find an SMS provider online and use that number to verify WhatsApp. If you have a Skype number and Skype credit, you could use that too. Texport is a great example and provides a reliable service that allows you to send up to three texts and receive unlimited texts during each free session. Just add the number provided to the WhatsApp verification screen and keep an eye on the website. The WhatsApp verification code should arrive within a minute or two. Once it does, enter the code, and the app should verify.

Landline

If you have a landline and you don’t mind giving out that number, that should work too. Depending on where you live, your telephone provider should have a system that will read out an SMS on your normal landline phone. This method will obviously depend on your carrier, but most will have it as it is an accessibility feature.

Select the country within WhatsApp and make sure to remove the leading “0” from your phone number. WhatsApp will automatically add your country code, and you’re good to go. You should receive a call that speaks the code. Enter that code into the app, and you’re registered.

Alternatively, you can use WhatsApp’s fallback verification, which involves a phone call. This is a good option if you have a landline that does not have the aforementioned accessibility features. Have the app send the verification to your landline number and wait a while. Then select the option to receive a call. An automated system will call you and speak a code. Enter the code into the app and verify. WhatsApp should accept the code, and then you are good to go!

Google Voice or Skype

Both Google Voice and Skype provide virtual numbers you can use online to call within the respective networks and break out of them to call a mobile or landline. If you have this already, it’s a quick and easy way to register WhatsApp without your phone number.

The process is the same as for landlines above. Set your country code within WhatsApp and remove the leading “0” from your Google Voice or Skype number. Open the respective phone app and wait for the SMS to arrive. Enter the code into WhatsApp, and you’re verified.

I registered my copy of WhatsApp many years ago with a Skype number, and it worked perfectly. Be patient, as it took a minute or two for the number to arrive, but when it did, verification happened almost immediately.

Use a payphone

If you still have payphones where you are, you can use the number from there to register WhatsApp. Using the same fallback option you would use with a landline, you can enter the number of the payphone, wait for the SMS verification to fail, and then elect to receive a call.

It would be no good doing this somewhere busy as you may need to wait up to ten minutes for the SMS verification to fail and for the call me option to appear in WhatsApp. Once it does, enter the payphone number, accept the call, use the six-digit code and verify. If there isn’t a payphone, you could use any phone number you have access to with the same result.

Those are the ways I know of to verify WhatsApp without using your cell phone number. Know of any others that work? Tell us about them below if you do!