If you often use WhatsApp Web to chat while working or studying, there’s a change you’ll notice soon. WhatsApp sessions on web and desktop will automatically log you out every six hours in India. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has introduced rules requiring messaging accounts, including WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal, to stay linked to the SIM card used when you registered.
This means you can’t just leave WhatsApp Web open all day. To continue, you’ll need to log in again, usually by scanning the QR code from your phone. The platforms have been given 90 days to make these updates.
The government says the change is meant to make messaging safer. Some scammers have taken advantage of accounts not tied to active SIMs, sometimes even from abroad. With SIM binding, it becomes easier to trace misuse back to the actual user.
For users, the change might feel a little inconvenient. People who use tablets, secondary devices, or phones without the registered SIM may lose access. Frequent travelers or those who switch SIMs often may find themselves logging in more than they’re used to.
Tech experts say it’s a small price for better security. By keeping your account connected to your phone’s SIM, it becomes harder for fraudsters to exploit your messaging app. So while you may need to scan the QR code a few more times a day, your chats, personal or professional, will be safer than before.
