My WhatsApp number was restricted or banned
Stop sending from that number immediately — continuing is what turns a temporary restriction into a permanent one. Temporary bans clear on their own, usually within a few hours to a few days. For a permanent ban, request a review in the app (Settings, then the ban notice) or email support@whatsapp.com with the number in full international format. Fix the cause before you resume: almost always a non-consented list or too much volume too soon.
First: stop sending from that number
Restrictions escalate. A number that keeps sending through a soft throttle is far more likely to end up permanently banned than one that goes quiet. In BuzzRelay, pause any running campaign and disconnect or disable that device before doing anything else.
Do not move the same list to a second number and carry on. If the list caused the restriction, the second number will be restricted too, usually faster. Fix the cause first.
Which kind of restriction is it?
| What you see | What it is | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Messages send, but delivery is slow and some never show two ticks | Silent throttling — the earliest stage, with no notification | Stop for 24–48 hours. Resume at half the volume. |
| "You can't send messages" with a countdown | Temporary ban, typically hours to days | Wait it out. Do not reinstall or re-register. |
| "Your phone number is banned from using WhatsApp" | Permanent ban | Request a review — see below. |
| Ban immediately after connecting a new number | Usually a reused or recycled number with prior history | Appeal; if refused, use a different number. |
Appealing a permanent ban
Two routes, and you can use both:
- In the app. Open WhatsApp; the ban notice usually has a Request a review or Support option. This is the fastest path because it carries your account details automatically.
- By email. Write to
support@whatsapp.comwith your number in full international format including the country code, for example+919876543210. State plainly what the number is used for.
Reviews commonly take anywhere from a day to a couple of weeks. Sending repeated appeals does not speed it up.
Be honest in the appeal. Say the number is used for business messaging to customers who opted in, and that you have changed how you send. A short factual message does better than a long one, and claiming you never sent bulk messages when you did tends not to help.
Work out what actually caused it
Before resuming, be honest about which of these applied. In rough order of how often they are the real cause:
- The list was not opt-in. Purchased, scraped, or collected for a different purpose. This is the most common cause by a wide margin.
- The number was too new. High volume in the first days — see How to warm up a new WhatsApp number.
- Volume climbed too fast. A jump from 50 to 500 a day reads as a compromised account.
- The message invited reports. No sender identity, no opt-out, pure promotion, link-only.
- Delays were too short or too uniform.
The BuzzRelay campaign report helps here: a campaign with a high failure rate, or one where failures climb as it runs, points at throttling that began mid-send. Export the log from Analytics and look at where it turned.
Resuming safely
Once a restriction clears, treat the number as new again:
- Re-enable the Number Warmer for that device so it ramps from a low daily count.
- Widen the delay range — 30 to 90 seconds rather than the 5–15 default.
- Send only to contacts who have replied to you before, for the first few days.
- Turn on Quiet Hours so nothing goes out overnight.
- Cut the daily limit to well under the 200 default until the number is clearly healthy.
If the number is gone for good
A permanently banned number that fails review cannot be recovered, and re-registering the same number generally re-triggers the ban. Your contact data is unaffected — contacts, templates and campaign history live in BuzzRelay's local database on your PC, not on the number. Connect a replacement device, warm it up, and import the same contacts.
Do not simply run the previous list again on the new number. Clean it first: remove anyone who never engaged, anyone whose consent you cannot account for, and anyone who asked to stop.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a temporary WhatsApp ban last?
Usually a few hours to a few days, and the app shows a countdown. It clears on its own. Do not reinstall or re-register during the countdown, and do not move the same list to another number and keep sending.
How do I appeal a permanent WhatsApp ban?
Use the Request a review option on the ban notice in the app, or email support@whatsapp.com with your number in full international format including the country code. Reviews typically take from a day to a couple of weeks, and repeated appeals do not speed it up.
Will I lose my contacts and campaigns if my number is banned?
No. BuzzRelay stores contacts, templates and campaign history in a local database on your own computer, not on the WhatsApp number. Connect a replacement device and your data is still there.
Can I just use a new number and carry on?
You can connect a new number, but running the same list again will usually get it restricted too, often faster. Clean the list first and warm the new number up before sending at volume.
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