WhatsApp is raising its minimum system requirements for older phones, with Android 6 required from September 8, 2026, and iOS 15.5 from November 30, 2026.
Devices still running Android 5 or iOS 15.1–15.4 will lose support after those dates, with WhatsApp warning affected users several times before the cutoff. The company says it regularly phases out older operating systems that may lack current security updates or features required by the app.