If you use WhatsApp, this news is important for you. The Central Government has again confirmed that there will be no change or relaxation in the SIM-Binding rule.
This rule will apply to messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal. Its purpose is to improve digital security.
The rule will come into force from March 1, 2026, and companies must follow it. According to the government, these apps must stay continuously connected to an active SIM card.
This will confirm that the phone number used for the account is real and active. If the SIM is removed or becomes inactive, the app will stop working on that device.
What is SIM-Binding?
SIM-Binding means that the SIM card used to create your WhatsApp account must remain active and present in your phone. If that SIM is not in the phone or is switched off, WhatsApp will not work properly.
Until now, once you logged in to messaging apps using the 6-digit OTP, the SIM was not checked again. But the new rule changes this. Now the SIM must stay active and inside the phone at all times.
The government introduced this change to reduce digital fraud, fake numbers, and cybercrime. When every account is linked to a verified SIM, it becomes easier to identify fake or suspicious users.
No relaxation after March 1, 2026
The Department of Telecommunications issued the SIM-Binding rule on November 28, 2025, and gave companies 90 days to implement it. This deadline ends on March 1, 2026, so all messaging platforms must follow it by then.
The government also clarified that a six-hour auto-logout rule will apply to users logged in on web or desktop. This means if you use WhatsApp on a computer or web browser, you will need to log in again with a QR code every six hours.
How this will affect users
If your number is active and the same SIM is inserted in your phone, you do not need to worry. Your WhatsApp will continue to work normally.
But there may be issues in these situations:
If you remove the SIM from your phone
If you insert the SIM into another phone
If your number becomes inactive due to no recharge
In such cases, WhatsApp may stop working temporarily or ask for verification again.
The government believes that linking every account to an active SIM will help fight fake numbers, scams, and cybercrime more effectively.
