How it works
How does ChatWatch track WhatsApp online activity?
- ChatWatch links to your own WhatsApp account as an additional device, the same way WhatsApp Web does: you enter your phone number, WhatsApp gives you a short code, and you type it in under Linked Devices (scanning a QR code also works). It then listens for the online and offline presence signal WhatsApp sends about the contacts you choose to track, and records every change with a timestamp. That log becomes your online history, last seen history, and NightWatch view.
Do I need to install an app on my phone or theirs?
- No. ChatWatch runs in your web browser on any device, and nothing is installed on the phone of the person you track. You link your WhatsApp once, by typing a short code into WhatsApp (or scanning a QR code), and tracking continues from our servers even when your browser is closed.
What information can I see about a contact?
- You see when they were online and when they went offline, how long each session lasted, how many times they connected each day, and a timeline you can scroll through by day and hour. NightWatch highlights the night hours, and Chat Probability compares two contacts' online patterns to estimate how often they overlap. You do not see messages, calls, or media.
Can ChatWatch read WhatsApp messages?
- No, and it is not designed to. Our connection to WhatsApp does not subscribe to message events and does not request message history, so message content never reaches our servers. ChatWatch works with presence only: online or offline, and when.
Does it work if the contact has hidden their last seen or online status?
- No. If someone has set last seen or online visibility to Nobody in WhatsApp's privacy settings, WhatsApp does not expose that information to any account, including yours, and ChatWatch cannot see it. ChatWatch records what your account is allowed to see; it does not bypass privacy settings.
Can I track more than one number?
- Yes. You can add several contacts and switch between them from your dashboard. Each one gets its own online history from the moment you add it.
Privacy and legality
Will the person know they are being tracked?
- ChatWatch does not send notifications to anyone and nothing runs on the other person's phone. It records presence information that WhatsApp already makes visible to your account. Whether you tell them is your decision, and the Terms of Service require that you only track people where you have a lawful basis to do so.
Is it legal to track someone's WhatsApp online status?
- It depends on where you and the other person live and on your relationship with them. Monitoring presence information that WhatsApp already shows you is lawful in many places, but anti-stalking, harassment, and surveillance laws vary by country. You are responsible for using ChatWatch lawfully. Our Terms of Service set out what is and is not acceptable; if in doubt, ask a lawyer in your jurisdiction.
Is ChatWatch affiliated with WhatsApp?
- No. WhatsApp is a trademark of its owner, and ChatWatch is an independent service that is not affiliated with or endorsed by WhatsApp or Meta. ChatWatch connects as a linked device, the same mechanism WhatsApp Web uses, and reads only presence information.
What happens to my data, and can I delete my account?
- Your WhatsApp link credentials are stored encrypted and deleted when you unlink. The online history we record for your tracked contacts is kept for 12 months and then deleted automatically. You can delete your account at any time from your settings, which removes your account, your tracked numbers, and their history. Details are in the Privacy Policy.
Trial, pricing, and billing
Is there a free trial?
- Yes. Numbers from the US, Canada, the UK, the EU, Australia and New Zealand get a free preview with no card: track one contact for 24 hours and see it working. The full plan, and all other countries, start with a 3-day free trial with full access. A valid payment method is required for that, it is available once per account, and it converts to a paid subscription at the end of the 3 days unless you cancel first.
How do I cancel?
- From your subscription settings, at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current period; you keep access until then.
How do I pay?
- By card through Stripe or with PayPal on the web. If you subscribed inside a mobile app, billing goes through Apple or Google instead. ChatWatch never sees or stores your card number.
Legal detail lives in the Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy. Anything else: contact us.