Messaging platform WhatsApp, which has become the main medium of daily life and communication for more than 2 billion people around the world, has taken a big step towards upgrading its security and technical standards. If you are also using a very old smartphone, then this news is very important for you. The Meta-owned company has made it clear that WhatsApp login and support is going to be completely stopped on select Android and Apple iOS devices running on older operating systems. The company is retiring legacy software to maintain its security protocols, end-to-end encryption, and modern features like AI chatbots and high-definition media sharing. From Lucknow, Kanpur to Delhi, Mumbai and small cities of Uttar Pradesh, users who are running WhatsApp on old handsets without software updates will be affected.
According to the new minimum system requirements released by WhatsApp’s official Help Center, the company has ended support on Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and 5.1. Now, to use WhatsApp smoothly and make a new login, it has been made mandatory for the device to have at least Android OS 6.0 (Marshmallow) or a newer version. This means that on phones that cannot upgrade to Android 6.0, neither a fresh installation of WhatsApp nor login or chat backup will work. This includes those old models of companies like Samsung, LG, Motorola, HTC and Sony which were launched in the period 2014-2015 and in which no further software updates were received.
Meta has also set a clear deadline for Apple users using iPhone. Currently for WhatsApp to operate at least iOS 15.1 or newer Is necessary. Along with this, as per the official guidelines, from 30th November only iOS 15.5 and newer WhatsApp support will be available only. This will directly affect iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5S and older models, because these devices are not capable of supporting iOS 15 or its newer versions. Users using the iPhone 6S, 7 or first-generation iPhone SE are advised to update their phones to the latest iOS version available immediately.
It is natural for consumers to have this question as to why WhatsApp is being shut down on phones that are still running. According to the company, there are three main technical reasons for this:
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Lack of security updates: Companies like Google and Apple have stopped providing security patches to old operating systems long ago. The risk of malware and data theft is highest on such devices.
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Incompatibility of modern features: New features are constantly being added to WhatsApp, such as Meta AI, screen sharing, HD video calling and channels. The modern hardware and APIs needed to run these tools are not present in older phones.
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Decreasing number of users: The company annually audits systems that are used by less than 1% of the total userbase, in order to focus its technical resources on modern and secure systems.
If you suspect that your phone may be affected by this change, you can find out by going to your phone’s Settings in 1 minute:
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How to check in Android: Go to ‘Settings’ of your phone > Scroll down and click on ‘About Phone’ or ‘System’ > Look for ‘Android Version’ there. If it is 6.0 or above, your WhatsApp will continue to run normally. If it is 5.0 and the update option is visible, update the phone immediately.
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Method to check in iPhone: Open ‘Settings’ > Go to ‘General’ > Go to ‘About’ and check ‘Software Version’. If it is below 15.5, go to ‘Software Update’ and install the latest OS immediately.
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Back up chats and media instantly: Users whose phone cannot be upgraded are advised to back up their entire chat history on Google Drive or iCloud by going to WhatsApp’s ‘Settings’ > ‘Chats’ > ‘Chat Backup’. After this, they will insert their SIM in a new supported smartphone and login with the same number, then all their old chats and photos and videos will be restored.