How to

WhatsApp is one of the most widely used messaging apps worldwide.

One of the main reasons why people choose WhatsApp over other messaging apps is because it has a calling feature.

However, it can be annoying if an important WhatsApp call drops or disconnects abruptly while you’re on it. 

This problem is not unusual, and there are several potential causes. 

This article will cover how to fix WhatsApp call drops and disconnections.

How to Fix WhatsApp Calls From Not Working, Disconnecting, and Dropping Frequently?

Here are the thirteen (13) ways to fix the issue.

1. Turn off Battery Saver mode

Turn off the battery saver mode on your device if you’re using it before making a WhatsApp call. 

This mode may impact the app’s functionality and result in disconnected or dropped calls.

2. Turn off Bluetooth

Bluetooth may interfere with the Wi-Fi or cellular network signal, which is one factor that can make WhatsApp calls unreliable.

A good practice is to turn off your Bluetooth connection.

As a result, the device may struggle to maintain a stable internet connection, which can cause poor call quality or dropped calls.

Some smartphones also automatically switch to Bluetooth audio during calls, which may be problematic.

Call quality may suffer, and calls may be dropped if the Bluetooth connection is weak or unstable.

3. Check Router Settings

Your router’s security settings and firewall configurations can sometimes interfere with your internet connection and cause disruptions during WhatsApp calls.

Login to your router admin panel and ensure you use the latest security protocols, such as WPA2.

Check your firewall configurations and ensure it is not too strict, as they may block legitimate connections, including those for WhatsApp calls.

4. Disable VPN

If you’re using a VPN service, disable it before making a WhatsApp call.

Although VPNs can unblock websites and circumvent geographical censorship, they can affect your internet connection and cause calls to drop or disconnect.

5. Check your Internet connection

You should check your internet connection when experiencing call drops on WhatsApp.

Make sure your internet connection is both reliable and quick.

You can use Ookla Speedtest or Google Fiber Speedtest to analyze your connection speed.

Using Wi-Fi, you can change networks or get nearer to the router.

6. Clear App Cache

Call drops can be avoided, and the performance of WhatsApp can be enhanced by clearing its cache.

Go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Storage > Clear Cache on Android to clear the app cache.

7. Update WhatsApp

Make sure WhatsApp is running at the most recent version.

Call drops can be avoided by updating the app, which can fix bugs and improve performance.

8. Disable call forwarding

It’s possible for WhatsApp calls to disconnect or drop if call forwarding is enabled on your device.

Call forwarding should be disabled before making another attempt.

9. Switch to Wi-Fi calling

Try switching to Wi-Fi calling if you have call drops while using cellular data.

You can avoid call drops and increase the stability of your internet connection by doing this.

10. Reset network settings

Your internet connection may be the source of call drops on WhatsApp; resetting your network settings can help. 

You can reset network settings by going to Settings > General Management > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

11. Restart your device

Sometimes, a simple restart can fix issues with your device, including call drops on WhatsApp. Restart your device and try making a call again.

12. Reinstall WhatsApp

If none of the above solutions work, try reinstalling WhatsApp.

This will reset the app to its default settings and may fix any issues causing call drops.

13. Contact WhatsApp Support

Contact WhatsApp support if you’ve tried all of the fixes mentioned above but still have call drops on the app.

They might be able to offer more detailed troubleshooting instructions or refer the problem to their technical team.

When registering for WhatsApp, you will be asked to provide a mandatory mobile number for account activation.

WhatsApp will send you a one-time password (OTP) via SMS text message to verify yourself.

Each WhatsApp account is tied to your unique mobile number during registration.

Sometimes you do not wish to use your personal mobile number, for example, to have privacy and to separate personal matters from work matters.

This article will focus on how to activate and bypass WhatsApp phone number restrictions without using your personal mobile number.

How to Register WhatsApp Without Using Your Personal Phone Number?

Here are the three (3) ways to do so.

Method 1. Use Voicemail

During registration, you provide WhatsApp with a virtual mobile number from Talkroute.

When asked to verify and enter the 6-digit SMS verification code, please select the option <Call me>.

WhatsApp will attempt to call you on the Talkroute number you provided.

You can either;

• Pick up the phone call and listen to the verification code or,
• WhatsApp’s automated system will leave you a voicemail with your code on it after the 5-minute countdown.

Talkroute is a virtual phone system suitable for businesses and individuals who are always on the move.

Users can work using their desktop computers, web browsers, and mobile devices to make & receive calls, manage SMS texts, and respond to voicemail messages.

Alternatively, if you can use a landline number or use a payphone if you know the number, you can provide that to WhatsApp and choose the <Call me> option to listen to the verification code.

Method 2: Use a Virtual Phone Number

You will be getting a virtual mobile number to register and activate WhatsApp.

You must install a secondary phone app on your mobile device and choose your temporary number from the available countries.

Here are some of the reliable virtual number apps you can consider;

Hushed

You can use Hushed to receive SMS verification codes (OTP), make calls, have custom voicemail greetings, call forwarding, and many other features.

You can get a single mobile number for as low as $1.99 for a limited number of days (e.g., 7 days)

• Install the Hushed app on your mobile phone.
• Choose the country of the mobile number you want, e.g., from Canada or the U.K.
• Every purchased mobile number is renewable before the expiry date.

Numero eSIM

Numero eSIM acts as a secondary mobile number for users to make cheap calls with the ability to send and receive SMS messages. In addition, you can use it to get SMS verification codes for WhatsApp.

Users receive free incoming calls anywhere when using Numero eSIM.

You can choose virtual numbers from over 80+ countries and over 4000+ cities.

• Make calls and receive SMS messages.
• International WiFi calling at local rates with Local calling plans.
• Voicemail and Call forwarding features
• Privacy Caller-ID (hide your number) for local and international calls

Method 3: Receive SMS Code Online

Some websites offer ready-made virtual phone numbers so users can receive SMS messages and OTP codes by simply visiting their websites.

Below are some trusted websites where you can receive SMS messages and OTPs.

• Quackr (free)
• AnonymSMS (free)
• OnlineSIM (Free to try, rent a virtual number per day)
• TextMagic (Free to try, free incoming SMS, pay for only outgoing SMS)

Please note that mobile numbers on free sites usually run out quickly, and these sites do not offer new numbers frequently.

A more reliable method is to use a paid service. For example, TextMagic and OnlineSIM provide a dedicated virtual phone number for your SMS needs. 

Keep in mind that WhatsApp may ask its users to verify their mobile numbers from time to time. As a result, consider renewing these virtual numbers if you intend to use the Whatsapp account for the long term.

With more than 2 billion users worldwide, Whatsapp is currently the most commonly-used communication app.

Many people have asked if it is possible to have their profile name on WhatsApp (and on other apps) blank.

Yes, it is possible to leave your profile name as an empty blank field.

You can use the different methods stated here on other social media apps and platforms as well, e.g., on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Telegram, Signal, Discord, etc.

The idea of having an invisible, empty name can be an ideal way of maintaining privacy online.

The effect of having an invisible profile name is done through creative ways of using invisible characters, symbols, and letters.

Who Can See Your WhatsApp Profile Name?

When your number is not saved on someone’s phone, and they start to message you on WhatsApp, they can see your Profile Name.

Once they have saved your number and named you in their phone contact, they will no longer see your original profile name.

How to Change Your WhatsApp Profile Name?

• Open Whatsapp and click on the menu button (three dots on the top-right)
• Click <Settings>
• Click on your Profile image
• Under the Name section, click the edit button (pencil icon) to change your profile name.

How to Hide and have an Empty Blank Profile Name on WhatsApp?

Here are the three (3) different methods to do so.

Method 1: Use an Invisible Character

Invisible characters are Unicode characters used to create spaces or line breaks between sentences or pages.

These characters behave exactly like normal characters, except they are invisible.

We can use invisible characters to hide and create an illusion of an empty blank name in a Whatsapp profile.

Go to the Invisible Characters webpage and click <Copy> next to the <U+00AD soft Hyphen>.

Paste it on your Whatsapp name and click <Save>.

You now have an empty blank name in your WhatsApp profile.

Method 2: Use an Invisible Symbol

Copy the two (2) invisible symbols below and paste them on your WhatsApp profile name.

⇨ ຸ

Next, remove the arrow symbol.

You will now see only the comma symbol left. It will be invisible once you saved it.

Now, click <Save>.

Your WhatsApp profile name is hidden and looks empty and blank now.

Method 3: Use an English Braille Letter

This method will use a 6-dot braille cell pattern, also known as a blank Braille pattern.

The Unicode code point represents this letter U+2800.

Copy and paste the 6-dot braille pattern below onto your WhatsApp profile name.

⠀

Click <Save>, and your profile name will be hidden and will look like a blank and empty Profile name.

There are times when Do Not Disturb (DND) mode is enabled, yet WhatsApp calls and notifications can still come through.

WhatsApp voice and video calls seem to be able to unblock themselves and bypass DND restrictions.

This is a common problem faced by both iPhone and Android devices.

This article will focus on preventing WhatsApp calls from ringing when DND mode is enabled and how you can troubleshoot it using different troubleshooting methods.

How to FIX and Mute Whatsapp Notifications When Do Not Disturb is Enabled

Here are the seven (7) ways to do so.

Method 1. Set Focus Mode

You can set a focus mode on Android if you need time to focus and do not want any distractions. In this way, you can pause distracting apps and hide their notifications.

You can use it on WhatsApp notifications when the Do Not Disturb mode is not working.

On your Android phone, go to Settings > search for “focus mode” and click on it.

Add <WhatsApp> as one of the distracting apps and click <Turn On Now>

From now on, WhatsApp notifications will be hidden.

Method 2. Disable Android Notifications on WhatsApp

Make sure WhatsApp is not permitted any call notifications.

On your Android phone, go to Settings > Apps & notifications > select WhatsApp > select Notifications.

Disable <Call notifications>.

Method 3. Check DND Settings

Ensure that your Do Not Disturb (DND) Settings are correctly configured by following the steps below;

• Go to Android Settings > search for “Do Not Disturb” and click on it.
• Select Exceptions > People
• Choose <None> for Conversations, Calls, and Messages
• Go back to Exceptions > Apps and make sure WhatsApp is NOT allowed to interrupt
• Go back to Exceptions > Alarms & other interruptions > and disable all options.

The important option here is disabling media sounds.

Method 4. Disable WhatsApp Conversation tones

This is a quick way to make sure Whatsapp does not play any sound tones for incoming and outgoing messages.

Go to WhatApp > Settings > Notifications.

Disable <Conversation tones>.

Method 5. Check if Contact is added to your Favorite list

If the Contact is inside your phone’s favorite contact list, they can bypass certain DND restrictions, e.g., ringing when using WhatsApp voice call.

You should remove these contacts from your favorite list.

Go to your phone dialer, select <Favourites>, and remove the Contact (if not all of them) from your list.

Method 6. Reset App Preferences

Sometimes the only way is to give your phone and WhatsApp a fresh restart.

You can try to reset app preferences, such as disabling app notifications, default apps for action, etc.

You will not lose any app data, as this only applies to app settings.

• Go to Android Settings > System > Reset Options.
• Choose <Reset app preferences> and confirm using <Reset apps>.

Method 7. Clear Whatsapp Cache

Clearing the WhatsApp cache may allow the app to refresh itself from previous configurations.

• Go to Android Settings > Apps & notifications > select WhatsApp > click Storage & cache
• Choose <Clear cache>.

Finally, as a last resort, you may want to consider re-installing WhatsApp again.

Your data will not be deleted as your phone has local storage of all chat messages. This applies to both iPhone and Android devices.

With over 2 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is among the most widely used messaging services.

While it has revolutionized our communication, scammers, and fraudsters have turned to it as one of their main targets.

Scammers frequently create fake WhatsApp numbers and use them to trick unwary users, which is one of their most popular methods.

Even though it can be challenging, finding a fake WhatsApp number is not impossible.

You can improve your chances of finding out who is messaging you from that number and preventing harm by taking specific actions.

This article will show you the various methods you can use to trace a fake WhatsApp number and keep you safe from scams and harm.

Can Police Trace Fake WhatsApp Numbers and How They Do It?

Yes, they can if they want to.

Law enforcement government agencies with investigative powers can;

• Request users’ information (e.g., the IP address used) from WhatsApp
• Check the fake number from the telecommunication company for the user’s information.
• Check the IP addresses from the internet service provider (ISP) for the user’s information.

All the provided evidence can be used against the user if the person is involved with criminal offenses.

Most of us do not have the power and means to perform such law enforcement methods.

However, we can still use other means to narrow down and hopefully identify the WhatsApp user.

How to Trace Fake WhatsApp Numbers

Here are the five (5) steps to identify a WhatsApp number.

Step 1. Save The Number in Your Contact

When you receive a WhatsApp message from someone not on your contact list, you may not be able to see their status and profile picture.

You can check on the user by manually adding the number to your contacts list and analyzing the WhatsApp profile.

To find out more about the number;

• Add the number to your contact list
• Quit and re-open WhatsApp
• Refresh your contacts by choosing the <Select Contact> icon on the bottom-right and <Refresh> on the top-right menu.

You can now analyze the status message and profile picture used.

Step 2. Matching the Profile Picture

Save the profile picture of the WhatsApp number and perform a reverse image search to see if it was also posted somewhere on the web.

If you have a unique profile picture and it appears somewhere on the web, the user may also be participating in that website.

Upload the profile picture on the following sites;

• Google Images (drag & drop the image into the search bar)
• TinEye Reverse Image Search
• DupliChecker

Step 3. Search the Number on Google

Search the mobile number on Google to see if it appears anywhere on the web.

Sometimes you will be surprised to see if it was mentioned in forums or even on classified ad posts.

When you get a hit on the number online, further analyze what you have on hand. For example, if it is tied to a unique username, do a further search on that username.

It could narrow down to the user’s social media profile if you are lucky.

The search process on Google can feel like going down a rabbit hole, especially when you discover more clues.

Don’t forget to use Bing, Yahoo, and other search engines if you need to.

Step 4. Search using Number Lookup Sites

Several sites offer free ways to look up a mobile number to find identifying information on the user.

You can use the following;

• TrueCaller Phone Lookup
• Spokeo (search using mobile number, username, and email address)
• ZLookUp
• ThatsThem

Step 5. Report to WhatsApp and Local Authorities

WhatsApp values users’ privacy and security, and reporting suspicious and fake numbers is essential to keep the communication platform safe and secure.

Why You Should Report to WhatsApp

• Stop spam messages from yourself and to others
• Prevent fraudulent activities
• Protect your privacy

How to Report A Number to WhatsApp

• Open the chat with the suspicious number and tap on the menu on the top right (3-dots)
• Select <More> and <Report>
• Confirm by selecting <Report> again.

Why You Should Report to Your Local Authorities

If you believe that you have been scammed or the number is used for criminal activities, such as committing fraud, harassment, threats, or any offense, you should make a formal report to your local authorities.

As a rule of thumb, do not engage anyone with giving out your personal information online, especially for unknown mobile numbers on WhatsApp.

It would be best if you consider blocking and reporting the number.