Overview
- WhatsApp will require Android 6 or newer starting September 8, 2026, covering both WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business.
- Phones on Android 5.0 or 5.1 will stop running the app unless users update the OS or move to a newer device.
- Affected users see an in-app alert and are urged to back up chats to Google Drive or to a local file before the cutoff.
- iPhone and iPad users are not impacted, with support continuing for iOS and iPadOS 15.1 or later.
- The shift will hit markets with older devices the hardest, including India, Brazil, Pakistan, and parts of Southeast Asia and Africa.