Hundreds of WhatsApp users, including many in India, reported being unexpectedly locked out of their accounts on Monday evening after the messaging platform placed them “under review” for up to 24 hours.
The issue surfaced around 8 pm IST, with affected users saying they were suddenly unable to send messages, make calls or access other features of the Meta-owned instant messaging application. Many claimed they had not received any prior warning or explanation before their accounts were restricted.
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Users who attempted to open the app were greeted with a message stating that their account activity and device information were being reviewed to ensure compliance with WhatsApp’s Terms of Service.
The notification read: “Account in review. Date requested: 3 Aug 2026. Your account activity and device info is being checked to make sure it follows our terms of service. We will notify you of the result typically within 24 hours.”
The review notice also directed users to WhatsApp help pages titled “How to use WhatsApp responsibly” and “About stolen phone and accounts.”
During the review period, users reported being completely locked out of WhatsApp’s core services, including messaging, voice calls and video calls.
The sudden restrictions sparked widespread discussion on social media platform X, where many users expressed frustration and confusion over the unexpected action.
One user wrote that several WhatsApp accounts had been placed under investigation without explanation, leaving people unable to use the platform for an entire day.
Another user questioned why their account had been banned despite claiming to have done nothing wrong, asking whether others had experienced the same issue and what steps they should take next.
Responding to the reports, a WhatsApp spokesperson acknowledged that the company’s automated moderation systems are not always perfect and can occasionally flag legitimate accounts by mistake.
“We are always working to stay ahead of those trying to abuse our service and ban accounts to help keep other users safe. Sometimes we get this wrong and if we do, we try to fix it as quickly as possible to get people back to chatting,” the spokesperson said.
The company, however, did not disclose how many users were affected globally or in India. It also stopped short of confirming whether the incident resulted from a technical glitch, an automated enforcement error or another internal issue.
WhatsApp said it continues to review cases where genuine users may have been incorrectly flagged and works to restore access as quickly as possible once the review process is complete.
The incident highlights the growing reliance on automated systems to detect policy violations across large digital platforms. While such tools help identify spam, fraud and misuse, they can also mistakenly affect legitimate users, prompting companies like Meta to manually review disputed cases before reinstating accounts.
For now, WhatsApp has assured users that it remains committed to correcting any erroneous account restrictions and providing support to those impacted by the temporary review process.
