How to Check and Remove WhatsApp Linked Devices
A linked computer or browser can read your WhatsApp chats without your phone in hand. How to see every linked device, log out ones you don't recognise, and keep it that way.
WhatsApp lets you use your account on computers, tablets and browsers as well as your phone. That is convenient, but every linked device can read and send messages. If someone else links a device, they can quietly follow your chats.
How to check
- Open WhatsApp on your phone.
- Go to Settings (on Android, tap the three dots), then Linked devices.
- Look at each device: its name, and when it was last active.
- Tap any device you do not recognise and choose Log out.
Signs someone else has linked a device
- A device or browser you never set up, or one active when you were not using it.
- Messages marked as read that you did not open.
- Messages you did not send.
Scanning a QR code can link a device. Never scan a WhatsApp QR code that someone sends you or asks you to scan "to verify" or "to join". See WhatsApp Web and QR hijacking.
Keep it safe
- Lock your phone with a PIN or biometric so nobody can link a device while you are away. See phone screen lock.
- Log out of WhatsApp on shared or work computers when finished.
- Check the list monthly as part of your security checkup.
If you think someone was reading your messages, also see when an ex-partner has access to your accounts. For more, see our complete guide to WhatsApp scams.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone read my WhatsApp from another device?
Yes, if a device is linked to your account. Check Linked devices and log out anything you do not recognise.
Does changing my phone log out linked devices?
Re-registering your number logs out linked devices, but check the list afterwards anyway.
How did someone link a device?
Usually by briefly using your unlocked phone to scan a QR code, or by tricking you into scanning one. See our article on QR hijacking.
Sources
- How to check devices linked to your account and unlink a device you don't recognize, WhatsApp Help Center
- About linked devices, WhatsApp Help Center
- How to unlink a device, WhatsApp Help Center
