Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has announced that starting from today, June 1, WhatsApp will no longer support some older smartphones. Although Meta had announced this change last month, the policy has now officially come into effect.
Which Devices Are Affected?
WhatsApp will stop working on iPhones running iOS 15 or earlier, and Android phones running Android 5 (Lollipop) or earlier. The list of specific phone models losing support includes:
- iPhone 5S
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone 6S
- iPhone 6S Plus
- iPhone SE(1st generation)
- Samsung Galaxy S4
- Samsung Galaxy Note 3
- Sony Xperia Z1
- LG G2
- Huawei Ascend P6
- Moto G (1st generation)
- Motorola Razor HD
- Moto E (2014)
What Should Users Do?
- First, check which operating system version your phone is running.
- If your iPhone has iOS 15.1 or higher, or your Android device has Android 5.1 or newer, WhatsApp will continue to work.
- If your device is too old and cannot be updated, back up your important WhatsApp data (chats, files, etc.) before switching to a new phone.
Why Has Meta Taken This Step?
Older versions of iOS and Android no longer receive critical security updates, increasing the risk of data hacking and other cyber threats on those devices. To protect users from such cyberattacks, Meta periodically removes support for its apps on outdated phone models.
