WhatsApp to stop working on older Android phones from September: Check if your device is affected
Follow UsDevices running Android 5.0 and 5.1 will lose access, requiring users to upgrade or switch phones.
WhatsApp has started notifying affected users and advises backing up chats to prevent data loss.
The platform is also testing new features like WhatsApp Plus, notification bubbles, and AI-powered chat summaries.
If you use WhatsApp, you should carefully read this. WhatsApp plans to discontinue support for older Android versions later this year. This means that some Android smartphones will be unable to run WhatsApp on them. This follows the company’s announcement that beginning in the second week of September, devices running Android versions lower than 6.0 will no longer support WhatsApp, effectively ending support for Android 5.0 and 5.1.
SurveyWith this move, the Meta-owned social media platform aims to offer performance, security and compatibility with newer features that older software versions struggle to support. This also points out that while Android 17 is almost here, a massive number of users, specifically in regions like India, Brazil and parts of Southeast Asia, continue to use devices that no longer get updates from manufacturers.
To ensure that everyone knows about this, WhatsApp has started to display in-app alerts notifying affected users about the upcoming change. Once the support ends, the app will stop working on these devices. And if the users want to continue using the app, they will either have to upgrade their software (if possible) or move to a newer smartphone.
Additionally, the company is also advising users to back up their chats to avoid losing data. This can be done via cloud services or by saving a local copy on the device, which can later be transferred manually. The update applies only to Android devices, while users on iPhones and iPads will continue to receive support, provided they are running compatible versions of iOS.
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In the meantime, WhatsApp is also testing several new features, including a subscription called WhatsApp Plus. The plan may offer perks like custom themes, more pinned chats and exclusive stickers. The platform is also working on notification bubbles for easier multitasking, private chat summaries on iOS and tools to manage business messages.
