WhatsApp To Stop Working on Old iPhones From May 2025

WhatsApp appears to be sending an alert in its app, informing users that the app will no longer be supported on iPhones with old iOS versions from next year. The alert, which only the users with an old iPhone are reportedly receiving, says that WhatsApp will end support for the device and iOS version after May 5, 2025. Since these iPhone devices cannot be upgraded to the latest iOS versions, users are advised to switch to a new iPhone to continue using WhatsApp.

Unsupported iPhone devices

According to a screenshot shared by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp will "stop supporting" old iOS versions, without mentioning which versions will become ineligible to run the chat app. However, the report said WhatsApp will stop working on iPhone devices running software versions earlier than iOS 15.1. The Meta-owned app will also block access to the app through TestFlight, making it almost unlikely for users to chat on these iPhone devices.

This means devices such as iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus will stop receiving support for WhatsApp from May 5, 2025. That is more than six months from now, so users with an iPhone device that will become unsupported next year have ample time to upgrade to a new iPhone or Android smartphone.

Currently, WhatsApp supports devices running iOS 12 or later, so iOS 15.1 is a long jump for the company. The report said WhatsApp's upcoming versions may include updated APIs and other technologies that the app uses to deliver new features. However, they may not work with older iOS versions, with the report saying that leaving out those versions could allow WhatsApp to "optimise the app and introduce new features that simply wouldn't be possible with outdated operating systems."

WhatsApp's decision to end support may also have factored in the existing number of users still on older iOS versions. The report said "a significantly smaller portion" of users are using these iOS versions, so even if they do not upgrade to an eligible operating system or device, it will reduce the user base by a negligible margin. However, those with an iPhone that supports an eligible iOS version are recommended to update their device.