WhatsApp to Stop Working on These Phones in May!

WhatsApp, one of the world’s most popular messaging apps with around two billion users globally, is set to stop working on certain older smartphones starting May 2025. However, this doesn’t affect all old smartphones. The company does this regularly to enhance security.

The parent company of WhatsApp, which is Meta, has stated that the changes are because it wants to keep with technology and make sure that WhatsApp app works efficiently. The app will stop functioning on iPhones and Android phones that are outdated and not supported by WhatsApp.

Starting from May 2025, iPhones running the iOS versions older than 15.1 will stop WhatsApp. This covers older models including the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus which were released in 2013 and 2014. Unless these phones get a newer iOS version (if possible), users need to upgrade their phones to continue using the app.

WhatsApp to stop working on some older phones

WhatsApp will stop working on Android 4.4 KitKat and older versions too, thus affecting people using Android phones, too. Devices that cannot upgrade to Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or newer will be affected. Many of the android models that will be affected include Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Ace 3, Galaxy S4 Mini; Motorola Moto G (1st Gen), Razr HD; HTC One X, Desire 500; LG Optimus G, Nexus 4; Sony Xperia Z, Xperia T and so on.

According to Meta, dropping support for older devices allows WhatsApp to focus on newer technologies and features that improve user experience. When phones get older, they have difficulty handling new apps because of the hardware and software issues. This could result in less efficient operation and a greater risk of security breaches.

Meta intends to achieve this by ensuring WhatsApp works with platforms that support the encryption, features, and/or user-experience provided by the newest operating systems. WhatsApp is not supported on older versions of Android and iOS platforms.

These improvements may include upgrades to how they send text and images, how they deal with notifications in hundreds of other apps, and more options for video calls. But, old phones can’t support these innovations so Meta has to stop their support for old models.

For the users who will be affected by this change, it is advisable to take a backup of all the chats and media files before May 2025. Doing this will allow the users to restore all the chats on a new or upgraded device. Moreover, those with unsupported devices should look to upgrade to a new smartphone, or update the operating system where possible.

WhatsApp has made similar moves in the past as part of its commitment to staying ahead in the fast-evolving tech landscape. While these updates may inconvenience some users temporarily, they underscore the importance of staying up-to-date with device upgrades in today’s digital age.

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