How to check whether your phone will still support WhatsApp in September 2026
Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
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- WhatsApp will stop working on devices that cannot meet its updated minimum operating-system requirements from September.
- iPhones will need iOS 15.1 or later, excluding models such as the iPhone 5, 5c, 5s and 6.
- Listed affected Android devices include older Samsung, Motorola, LG and Sony Xperia models, and users can check compatibility in their phone’s settings.
Thousands of WhatsApp users will face a technical restriction from September as the messaging service raises its minimum system requirements. Meta says the changes support new features and strengthen security protocols.
For iPhone users, WhatsApp will require iOS 15.1 or a later version. Devices including the iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s and iPhone 6 will lose access because they cannot install the required updates. Users can check their software version and update capacity through the phone’s settings.
The change also affects older Android devices. The listed Samsung models include the Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Core and Galaxy Trend Lite. Affected Motorola phones include the first-generation Moto G and Moto E.
LG models on the list include the Optimus G, Optimus L5, Optimus L7, Optimus F7, Lucid 2, Nexus 4 and G2 Mini. Sony’s Xperia Z, Xperia Z2 and Xperia SP are also included because they cannot meet the current requirements.
Users should open their phone’s settings and check the installed operating-system version. If the device cannot download updates that meet the minimum requirement, WhatsApp will stop working automatically. The article describes the change as part of the company’s regular technical review, which prioritizes phones capable of supporting current security updates and processing demands.
About this summary
Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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