WhatsApp Will Stop Working on Older Android Phones From September 8
WhatsApp users still holding on to some of the oldest Android smartphones have only days left before the messaging app raises its minimum system requirements, cutting off devices that cannot run Android 6.0 or later.
Starting September 8, 2026, WhatsApp will officially end support for Android versions older than Android 6, meaning phones still running Android 5.0 or Android 5.1 will fall outside the app’s supported ecosystem. WhatsApp currently supports Android 5.0 and newer.
The change does not depend on the phone’s brand or necessarily on how old the handset itself is. What matters is the version of Android installed on it.
That means a smartphone originally released with Android 5 can continue running WhatsApp if the manufacturer provided an official upgrade to Android 6 or later. A device permanently stuck on Android 5, however, will no longer meet WhatsApp’s requirements after the deadline.
Why WhatsApp is leaving Android 5 behind
WhatsApp periodically removes support for aging operating systems as it introduces new features and security technologies that increasingly depend on capabilities unavailable in older software.
The company says it regularly reviews which operating systems have the fewest users and whether older devices still receive security updates or provide the functionality required by WhatsApp.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow itself dates back to 2015, meaning WhatsApp is effectively dropping software that is now more than a decade old.
For most Android users, therefore, nothing will change on September 8. The impact will be concentrated among people using particularly old smartphones that stopped receiving operating-system upgrades years ago.
Android 5.0 and 5.1 are the versions to check
Users do not need to search through lists of Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi or other phone models to determine whether they are affected.
The simplest test is the Android version.
Phones running Android 5.0 or 5.1 will no longer meet WhatsApp’s minimum requirement, while devices on Android 6.0 or any later version will remain compatible with this particular change.
Users can usually find that information by opening Settings, selecting About phone or About device, and checking the Android version, although the exact menu names vary between manufacturers.
WhatsApp will warn affected users
The change should not arrive without notice for people using affected devices.
WhatsApp says users whose operating systems are approaching the end of support will receive notifications inside the app and will be reminded several times to upgrade.
Those warnings are particularly important for phones that cannot receive a newer Android release.
Users should first check whether an official system update is available. If the handset can be upgraded to Android 6 or later, installing it should keep the device within WhatsApp’s new minimum requirements.
If no update is available, moving WhatsApp to a newer smartphone will ultimately be necessary to continue using the service.
Backing up chats before the cutoff is also advisable for anyone planning to replace an affected phone, particularly if years of conversations, photos and videos are stored in the app.
The September change is another reminder of a less visible cost of keeping smartphones for many years: the hardware may continue to function, but eventually the software ecosystem around it moves on.