WhatsApp no longer works on some Android phones today

Depending on what model phone you have in your pocket, you may not be able to wish your friends and family a Happy New Year when the clock strikes midnight. That’s because WhatsApp will end support for over a dozen different Android phones from popular manufacturers like Samsung, Sony, LG and Motorola.

From New Year’s Day, millions of people with older Android phones could no longer be able to use WhatsApp. The decision to end support for these aging smartphones was made by parent company Meta, which is run by multi-billionaire Mark Zuckerberg and also owns Instagram and Facebook.

This was announced by the Californian company, which is currently worth around $1.5 trillion all Android devices running version 4.4 of the mobile operating system – known as KitKat – or earlier will lose access to WhatsApp. Android KitKat was the eleventh version of Google’s own operating system and was introduced in late 2013.

WhatsApp chat window on green background

WhatsApp regularly adjusts the list of supported devices on Android and iOS so that those using outdated software do not hinder the development of new features or security improvements. However, for those left with older devices, it could be a costly upgrade

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If the phone in your pocket is capable of updating to the successor to Android 4.4 KitKat, called Android 5.0 Lollipop, then downloading and installing this update will guarantee that you can continue using WhatsApp. If you’ve been putting off pop-up notifications about a software update for about a decade, now is probably a good time to take some time to download and install the new version of the operating system.

However, many phones are unable to update to a newer Android version – so they’re stuck with 4.4 KitKat and guaranteed to lose access to WhatsApp. The decision to phase out these 10-year-old cell phones is likely to impact millions of users worldwide, particularly in developing countries where older phones remain widely used.

Both regular WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business users will be affected by these changes, requiring many to update their devices to continue access to the popular messaging service. For those who don’t know, WhatsApp Business allows businesses to offer customer support chats and other messaging options via WhatsApp.

This is the final list of Android devices that will lose WhatsApp support starting January 1, 2025:

Samsung Galaxy S3
Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini
Motorola Moto G (1st Generation)
Motorola Razr HD
Moto E (2014)
HTC One X
HTC One X+
HTC Desire 500
HTC Desire 601
LG Optimus G
LG (Google) Nexus 4
LG G2 Mini
LG L90
Sony Xperia Z
Sony Xperia SP
Sony Xperia T
Sony Xperia V

If you own one of these devices, the only way to continue sending and receiving text messages and calls within WhatsApp is to upgrade to a newer handset model. Yes, really.

If you own an iPhone and are feeling a little smug right now – don’t.

WhatsApp has already announced that it will no longer support several older iPhone models from May 5, 2025. The iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will no longer be able to use the messaging service because these devices do not run iOS 15.1, which will become the minimum operating system requirement next year. If this applies to you, the changes to WhatsApp won’t take effect for about five months.

Apple CEO Tim Cook presents the iPhone 5S on stage

Apple CEO Tim Cook announces the iPhone 5S on stage in September 2013. These models will no longer work with WhatsApp from May 2025, forcing users who still rely on the mobile phone every day to upgrade to a newer model – or forego WhatsApp messaging GETTY IMAGES

Like those with Android 4.4 KitKat, if you own one of these iPhone models, you will need to upgrade to a newer iPhone to continue using WhatsApp. It’s unclear why Meta gave iPhone users a longer grace period compared to Android users.

If you have a smartphone does iOS 15.1 supported but hasn’t been updated in a while, you’ll need to launch that Settings app and go to General > Software Update to update to the latest version of iPhone software.

While it’s undoubtedly frustrating for some, the reason for this change is to allow WhatsApp to take advantage of newer features and technologies introduced in iOS 15 and Android 5.0 Lolipop.

Without weeding out older iPhone and Android phones that can run earlier versions of the operating system, WhatsApp will be held back and unable to implement some new tricks. It’s still taking time for the change to take effect, but it could be costly for those who aren’t planning on upgrading to a new phone any time soon.

WhatsApp is the most popular messaging service in the world.

To maintain its competitive edge, Meta wants to introduce new experiences – such as those based on the latest advances in artificial intelligence (AI) – that require more powerful hardware.

Meta AI – the all-in-one artificial intelligence feature developed by WhatsApp parent company – was recently introduced to the messaging app, allowing users to generate never-before-seen images, summarize long texts into bullet points, and search the Internet for information, and more. It’s these features that might be difficult on older hardware

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To integrate new software features introduced by Google and Apple, the US technology companies behind the most popular mobile operating systems, applications must weed out older devices to avoid being held back. And it’s not just flashy new features, older hardware is increasingly no longer able to support new features or effectively protect sensitive data.

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If you are affected by the changes, you should back up your WhatsApp chat history and data before the respective deadlines to avoid losing your media and chat history. You can check device compatibility by checking the phone’s operating system version in the settings menu.

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WhatsApp no longer works on some Android phones today

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