The instant messaging app WhatsApp, owned by Meta, will discontinue support for versions older than Android 6 starting September 8, 2026.
According to WABetaInfo, a site specialized in WhatsApp updates, users will still be able to access the app as long as they use the latest supported version of WhatsApp and are running Android 6 or later.
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The Reason Behind the Move
This decision comes as WhatsApp recognizes the importance of maintaining appropriate minimum operating requirements. Supporting more advanced functionalities often requires relying on newer system capabilities and improved performance standards, meaning older hardware and operating systems may struggle to keep up with advanced features.
Currently, WhatsApp requires Android 5.0 or later to operate with the necessary stability and performance across a large number of devices. However, even as the system moves toward Android 17, millions of users worldwide still rely on older hardware. It is estimated that millions of people globally are still using Android 5.0.
This is particularly common in countries such as India, Brazil, and Pakistan, as well as parts of Southeast Asia and Africa, where older smartphones remain widely used. Many of these devices run versions much older than Android 10 and are no longer updated by manufacturers, creating a growing gap between modern software requirements and the aging hardware still in use.
The New Requirements
WhatsApp is sending notifications to affected users via an alert within the app. The message states that as of September 8, 2026, WhatsApp will no longer be available on certain Android versions. Specifically, the app will stop supporting all versions older than Android 6.0, meaning devices running Android 5.0 and 5.1 will be unable to use the app once this update takes effect.
WhatsApp typically makes these decisions even when analytics show that the number of users relying on these legacy versions is limited.
Advice for Affected Users
WhatsApp advises affected users to back up their chats before the deadline to avoid losing important conversations.
Users can back up their chat history to Google Drive directly through the app settings.
Alternatively, users can restore their history from a local backup automatically created by the app on the device's internal storage. This file can later be transferred manually if needed.
This latter option is particularly useful for users who lack sufficient Google Drive storage space and do not wish to purchase additional storage.
