WhatsApp has stopped supporting some older Android phones. The change was announced several months ago, giving affected users time to prepare. Starting September 8, 2026, WhatsApp no longer works on phones running Android 5.0 or Android 5.1. Users with older phones were shown an alert inside WhatsApp earlier this year, reports WABetaInfo. The notification informed them that support for their Android version would end in September. Those using an affected phone now need to check if a software update is available. If the phone cannot be updated, they will need a newer device to continue using WhatsApp.
If your phone is running Android 5.0 or Android 5.1, WhatsApp has now ended support for it. However, some older phones may be able to receive an update to Android 6.0 or a newer version.
You can check for a software update through your phone’s Settings menu. If an Android 6.0 or newer update is available, install it to continue using WhatsApp. If your phone cannot be upgraded beyond Android 5.0 or 5.1, WhatsApp will no longer work on your device.
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WhatsApp supports a wide range of Android versions, but keeping the app compatible with very old software can limit what the company can add.
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By ending support for Android 5.0 and 5.1, WhatsApp can focus on newer versions of Android. This gives the company more freedom to introduce features that may not work properly on older software and hardware.
The number of affected users is expected to be relatively small. Most users with newer Android phones will not notice any change.
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