WhatsApp Discontinues Support for Older Android Versions – Tech Advisor

Devices Affected by WhatsApp Update

WhatsApp has announced a significant update that will impact users of older Android devices. Starting September, only devices running Android 6 or higher will be supported. This means that users of Android 5.0 or Android 5.1 will no longer be able to use the messaging app. These older Android versions, which are over a decade old, are being phased out by WhatsApp, as they believe that very few people are still using them.

Statistics from March 2026 show that Android 5.0, also known as Lollipop, had a global market share of only 0.69 percent, according to Statcounter. However, with an estimated 4.5 billion Android users worldwide, this still amounts to around 3 million users who will be affected by the update.

Given that older Android versions do not receive software and security updates, they already pose a risk to users. WhatsApp strongly advises all users to transition to a newer version of Android to ensure the security of their devices.

The latest version of Android is currently Android 17, and users are encouraged to upgrade to this or a newer version for continued support from WhatsApp.

Notification for Users

WhatsApp will alert users affected by the update through a pop-up notification within the app. The notification will inform users that WhatsApp will no longer work on their device, prompting them to take necessary action.

Upon receiving the notification, WhatsApp recommends that users back up their chats either on Google Drive or locally on their device. This backup will allow users to transfer their chats to a new device running a supported version of Android seamlessly.