How to get a US number for WhatsApp without a SIM card

WhatsApp ties every account to a phone number. To register, it texts a 6-digit code to that number, and whoever can read that text can set up the account. So a US WhatsApp number really comes down to one thing: a US number that can receive WhatsApp's text, reliably, wherever you are.

A physical US SIM does that, but only if you can get one, keep it active, and keep the phone it's in. An online number does the same job without the SIM: the text arrives on a website or in your email instead of on a phone.

What kind of number you need

This is where most people go wrong. WhatsApp checks what type of line a number is, and it rejects most VoIP and internet-only numbers (the free app numbers and many cheap "virtual numbers"). What it accepts reliably are real mobile lines. So when you shop for a number, "real US mobile, not VoIP" is the phrase that matters.

You also want a number that stays yours. A one-time code site that rents a number for ten minutes will let you register, but WhatsApp asks for a new code whenever you move to a new phone or reinstall the app. If that number has gone to someone else by then, you can lose the account.

Step by step with Airsim

1. 1

   Create an account

   Sign up with your email at airsim.ai. No US address, no ID upload, no SIM to ship.

2. 2

   Add a number

   Pick monthly ($5.99) or yearly ($59.88, which works out to $4.99 a month). If you want a specific area code, like 212 for New York, you can choose one for a one-time $9.99. Your number shows up in your dashboard within seconds.

3. 3

   Start WhatsApp registration

   In WhatsApp (or WhatsApp Business), choose United States (+1) and type your new number exactly as shown in your dashboard.

4. 4

   Choose to get the code by text

   When WhatsApp offers how to send the code, pick SMS. Airsim numbers receive texts only, so a voice-call code can't reach you.

5. 5

   Copy the code from your dashboard

   The code appears in your Airsim dashboard on its own, usually within a few seconds, and is emailed to you too. Type it into WhatsApp and you're done.

After you're set up

• WhatsApp messages and WhatsApp voice and video calls work as normal. They run over the internet, not over the phone line.
• Turn on two-step verification in WhatsApp (Settings → Account). It adds a PIN that WhatsApp asks for when the number is registered on a new phone.
• Keep the number renewed. WhatsApp will ask for a fresh code if you change phones, and you want that code to reach you.