Thousands of WhatsApp accounts suddenly put under review:All features blocked without any warning; company says ‘mistakes can happen’

Messaging app WhatsApp has put many users’ accounts in India and some other countries under review for 24 hours. During this period, all messaging and calling features of the app were blocked. When affected users opened the app, a message appeared on the screen: ‘Account in Review. Date Requested: August 3, 2026. Your account activity and device info are being checked to ensure it complies with our terms of service.’ After this issue, affected users registered their complaints on social media. On the matter, a company spokesperson issued a statement clarifying the situation. They said, “We do this for the security of other users. Sometimes mistakes happen. We will fix it soon.” Understand the whole matter in QA Question 1. When did this problem start and were users given prior notice? Answer: This issue emerged around 8 PM IST on Monday. Meta did not provide any warning or notification to users before blocking or putting accounts under review. Question 2. Besides the message on the screen, what other options are provided in the app? Answer: Right below the ‘Account in Review’ message, WhatsApp has provided two options. The first option provides guidance titled ‘How to use WhatsApp responsibly’ and the second option is for information ‘About stolen phones and accounts’. Question 3. What clarification has WhatsApp company given on this whole incident? Answer: Regarding the matter, a WhatsApp spokesperson said, ‘We are always working to stay ahead of those who misuse our service and ban accounts to keep other users safe. However, sometimes we also make mistakes, and when that happens, we try to fix it as quickly as possible to get people back to chatting.’ Account Review Process Question 4. What are the affected users saying on social media? Answer: Users, frustrated by their accounts being blocked without any reason, expressed their anger on X and other platforms. One user wrote, ‘My WhatsApp account has been disabled without any explanation. I have submitted an appeal, but the screen just shows a 24-hour message.’ Question 5. Has this technical issue also affected people’s work? Answer: Yes, an X user named Saloni posted, “My WhatsApp suddenly got disabled without any warning. I only use the official app and my entire work depends on WhatsApp. This is a very unnecessary problem.” Question 6. If your account also goes into review, what should you do? Answer: If you see a 24-hour review message on your screen, you will have to wait for the company to complete its investigation. Additionally, you can register your appeal by using the appeal button visible on the screen or by visiting the WhatsApp support page. If you have not violated the rules, the account will be restored automatically within 24 hours.

Users reported a WhatsApp outage. Meanwhile, late at night, thousands of users worldwide reported on Downdetector that WhatsApp’s servers were down. According to Downdetector, users across several countries, including the US, the UK, and India, faced issues while sending photos, videos, and status updates. However, the text messaging service continued to work normally. All WhatsApp services have now been restored.