Overview
- WhatsApp will stop supporting many older phones starting June 1, 2026, when the app will require Android 5.0 or higher and iOS 15.1 or later to run.
- Several outlets also report a planned tightening on September 8, 2026 that would raise the Android requirement to 6.0, but that later change has fewer independent confirmations than the June cutoff.
- Popular models that will lose compatibility include several iPhones (iPhone 5s, 5c, 6, 6 Plus) and older Android handsets such as the Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4 Mini, Moto G first generation, Nexus 4 and multiple Xperia and LG Optimus models.
- WhatsApp and Meta advise users to back up chat histories, move accounts to a newer device or temporarily use WhatsApp Desktop to avoid losing message history when a phone becomes incompatible.
- The move reflects a routine policy by WhatsApp to raise minimum OS requirements so the app can deliver current encryption, security fixes and new features, a change that disproportionately affects decade-old hardware and users in regions with slower device replacement.