NOTE: For users running the original version but still receiving the ‘You Need the Official WhatsApp to Log in‘ message, it’s important to note that WhatsApp performs server-side verification using the Google Play Integrity API. Unfortunately, WhatsApp will not support devices that do not pass these checks.
Why is WhatsApp Not Verifying App Status?
Pre-Requisite: Check if Your Phone Number is Banned
This authentication error message can mean one of two things: either there is an issue with your account, or your phone is the culprit. In the third off-case scenario, if you’re not using the official version of the app, download the verified version from the Google Play Store. For users with former complaints, check the following. This will give you a rough idea of isolating the cause of the issue: If your phone number works on another device and a different number works on your current device, the most commonly suggested solution is to flash your phone back to its stock ROM.
Companion Device Linking (Non-Root)
To bypass the official WhatsApp error message, you may need to use a WhatsApp Business account and link it to a companion device. With this method, you won’t need to root your device but will require a different phone, preferably one with no account linked to WA Business.
1) Link as Companion Device on Different Phone
In this device linking method, you’ll need a secondary device to log into WhatsApp. Before proceeding, sync your contacts via Gmail, and download WA Business from the Google Play Store on your current device.
2) Log Back in On Your Primary Device
Once you’ve linked your phone as a companion device on your secondary device, you’ll be able to log back into your primary phone. Try to log back in and check if WhatsApp shows the same error message.
Spoof Bootloader via Magisk (Root Required)
WhatsApp is known to flag devices running on unlocked bootloaders, which means that re-locking the bootloader may resolve the issue. However, if your device is rooted, you could spoof the bootloader status and hide root access from the app itself.
After completing these steps, you may need to disable Play Protect from within the Google Play Store. The steps below outline the procedure to do so: Once Play Protect is disabled, reboot your device and try to verify your phone number on WhatsApp. If it still doesn’t work, check your Play Integrity status. On most custom ROMs, these checks fail to pass STRONG_INTEGRITY. In case you have issues with SafetyNet (now known as Play Integrity), consult our guide on bypassing Play Integrity checks on Android.
