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About unofficial apps
Unofficial apps are fake WhatsApp apps, developed by third-parties which violate our Terms of Service. We don't support these apps because we can't validate their security practices.
If you use these apps:
- Your privacy and security are at risk. Unofficial apps carry malware that can steal your data, and damage your phone.
- There’s no guarantee your messages or your data, like your location or the files you share, will be private and secure.
- Your account might also be temporarily or permanently banned.
How to switch to the official WhatsApp app
We recommend that you always use the official WhatsApp app. Before downloading our official app, we recommend saving your chat history, media files, and documents. Only chat history created while using the official app is supported, and can be securely backed up.
Uninstall the unofficial app, then go to our website to download WhatsApp or the WhatsApp Business app and re-register your phone number. For Android users, if you see an error that the app isn’t available in your country, visit this page to download WhatsApp.
Note: There isn’t any advertising on WhatsApp or on the Help Center. If you’re seeing advertisements, you might be using an unofficial version of the app. However, it is possible that certain businesses might message you about offers and announcements, even if they’re not on your contact list. To learn more about receiving offers and announcements from businesses, read this article.
