WhatsApp to stop working on these Android and iOS phones from next month: Check if yours is on the list

Meta’s instant messaging platform WhatsApp is going to kill support for some Android and iOS devices from next month. WhatsApp currently has more than 2 billion active users worldwide and is the most used mobile messaging app in the world.

Currently, the app works on Android phones running OS 4.X and iPhones with iOS 12 and newer.

The company in a recent blog post revealed that the app will stop working on devices running Android 4.X or older. It will discontinue the services from October 24.

It means WhatsApp will only work with phones running on Android Lollipop or later, however, it will continue working on the JioPhone and the JioPhone 2 as they are powered by KaiOS.

WhatsApp has also noted that new accounts can only be verified through SMS or calls. One cannot set up a WhatsApp account on Wi-Fi-only devices.

It said that to choose which device to discontinue its services on, the company takes a look at the oldest software with the lowest user base. It also considers whether these devices can smoothly run the app.

But don’t worry, your WhatsApp won’t stop working without any alert. Before WhatsApp shuts its service on an operating system, it will send the users a notification ahead of time and remind users to upgrade their system to continue using the service.

WhatsApp will stop running on the following devices: the Galaxy S2, LG Optimus G Pro, Motorola Droid Razr, Sony Xperia S2, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and LG Optimus 2X.

Since most of these devices are almost a decade old, it’s unlikely that the discontinuation will impact a large number of users.

If you want to check whether your phone is on the list or not, you can simply open the phone’s ‘Settings’ app, tap on ‘About Phone’ and check the ‘Software Information’. If the Android version is 4 or below, it’s time you change the phone.