WhatsApp ends support for these Android versions today You Should Know
WhatsApp is constantly introducing new features, but it can’t always ensure they are available to every single device, especially if they are stuck on older versions of operating systems.
To that end, WhatsApp regularly discontinues support for older Android versions, which is what’s happening now. Millions of users are losing access to WhatsApp from today, 8 September 2026.
Which devices are affected?
WhatsApp states that from September onwards, only devices running Android 6 or higher will be supported. This means that users of Android 5.0 or Android 5.1 will be left out. Both Android versions are more than ten years old, and WhatsApp assumes that very few people are still using them at all.
In March 2026, Android 5.0, also known as Lollipop, had a global market share of just 0.69 per cent, according to Statcounter. However, out of an estimated 4.5 billion Android users worldwide, that would still amount to around 3 million users.
As older Android versions are no longer receiving software and security updates, they pose a risk anyway and should no longer be used if at all possible. We recommend that everyone switch to a newer version of Android.
Currently, the latest is Android 17.
Look out for a notification
WhatsApp will warn all users affected by the end of support with a pop-up notification in the app. It will say something like this: “WhatsApp will no longer work on this device.”
The message will appear as soon as you open the app. WhatsApp recommends that users who still have access back up their chats, either via Google Drive or locally on the device. You can then transfer the chats to a new device running a supported version of Android.
If this will affect you and it’s time for you to upgrade your phone, see our top recommendations for the best budget phones, the best mid-range phones and the best phones overall if you can’t upgrade to a supported version of Android.
