Messaging app WhatsApp keeps updating its features and security protocols from time to time. As part of this ongoing process, the company has taken an important decision. Starting September 8, 2026, WhatsApp will stop working on millions of smartphones running older versions of Android. If you are currently using an old phone, then this news is very important for you. We will tell you in detail on which phones WhatsApp will no longer work.
When will it stop working?
The date of September 8 has been fixed for this. Citing legacy system requirements and security standards, WhatsApp has decided to end its support for older versions of Android.
Which phones will be affected?
WhatsApp will no longer run on Android versions older than Android 6.0 (Marshmallow). This means that for users currently using Android 5.0 or 5.1, this app will soon become a thing of the past.
Alerts have started coming in
The company has started sending “alerts” within the app to those users who will be affected by these updates. If you have received such a message, you should immediately pay attention to it.
Advice about chat backup
Back up your data before support ends. WhatsApp strongly advises users to back up their chat history, either on Google Drive or on their device’s local storage.
Relief for iPhone users
The good news is that this change will not affect Apple users. WhatsApp will continue to work as before on iPhones running iOS 15.1 or newer.
New Feature: Notification Bubbles
Along with ending support for older systems, WhatsApp is also working on introducing new features, such as “Notification Bubbles”. This feature will work similarly to Facebook Messenger, making chatting and multitasking even easier and convenient.