WhatsApp not working on your phone from June 1? Here is why and how to fix it

Many a smartphone user found WhatsApp to not be working on June 1. This is due to the social messaging app from Meta pulling their support for certain older operating systems and phones with its latest update.

The solution is simple, but a bit dearer for those who love the classic phones: Upgrade your phone.

From June 1, 2025, WhatsApp pulled its official support for iPhones running iOS older than iOS 15.1.

This meant the following iPhones would lose official WhatsApp support: iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus. If you have an iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, or the 1st Gen iPhone SE, it is recommended to update the OS to iOS 15.8.4 for WhatsApp to continue working. However, be warned, it is a sign to upgrade, since the next update might make these phones obsolete as well.

In Android smartphones, WhatsApp will now need Android 5.1 or late, making a few of these devices obsolete: Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Sony Xperia Z1, LG G2, Huawei Ascend P6, 1st Gen Moto G, Motorola Razr HD, and its peers.

Why did WhatsApp stop support on older phones?

Simply put, the reason behind this “planned obsolescence” move is security. Both Apple and Google (and its partners) have stopped significant security updates to these older smartphones. Meta has been ramping up on minimum security requirements for its encryption and privacy protocol to work properly.

This is also the reason why WhatsApp earlier discontinued its KaiOS offering, and stopped support for custom ROMS (custom operating systems that can even run on new hardware).

“Our goal is to provide a private and reliable service for as many people as possible. To do so, we regularly review how WhatsApp is being used, including our growing set of features that advance global private calling and messaging,” the messaging app states on its support page.

Check OS upgrade before buying a new phone

For Android and iPhone, the best way to check if you have a pending software update is to head to the Settings page and type in “Software Update”.

Alternatively, you can scroll to the “About Phone” tab in Android, or navigate to Settings > General > About on your older iPhone to see the version of the operating system.

Backup your WhatsApp data before shifting

After June 1, WhatsApp will not be able to send or receive messages, and you might not be able to access your chat history. However, your data (chats, media, account settings) will not be deleted unless you uninstall the app, delete app data, or reset your phone.

WhatsApp will send you reminders before support ends. The best way to retrieve WhatsApp data on new devices is through a complete backup.

This can be accessed through the app via Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Once in a new device, you can restore the backup from iCloud (iPhone to iPhone transfer) or Google Cloud (Android to Android transfer). Alternatively, you can manually export individual chats by selecting the conversation and clicking ‘Export Chat’, but that is usually a hassle.

Given that WhatsApp keeps updating security requirements, it is recommended that every user maintains a backup, lest you wake up one day and lose critical data on the app.

Sci/Tech