WhatsApp to block some phones from chats within 24 hours

Some WhatsApp users might suddenly lose access to their chats later tonight. Mirror Online shared that the app, owned by Meta, will stop working on certain smartphones. Now that the deadline has arrived, only a few hours remain before the change takes effect.

After the block happens today, May 5, people with affected iPhones won’t be able to use chats, video calls, or group messaging.

This isn’t the first time WhatsApp has done this. The app often updates the list of supported devices, and in the past, users with old Android and iPhone models have lost access too.

So, who’s going to be affected by today’s update?

WhatsApp announced it will stop supporting certain versions of Apple’s iOS operating system. This means if a phone is running old iOS software and can’t be updated, WhatsApp will stop working on it.

It might sound worrying, but there’s no need to stress if you have a fairly new iPhone — you’ll still be able to chat with your friends and family without any problems.

This update only affects older phones that can’t run “iOS 15.1 and newer.”

Specifically, three older iPhone models are impacted: the “iPhone 5s,” “iPhone 6,” and “iPhone 6 Plus.” These phones came out over 10 years ago and no longer get the latest iOS updates. If you use one of these, you only have a few hours before WhatsApp stops working.

“Starting May 5, 2025, only iOS versions 15.1 and newer will be supported,” WhatsApp said.

They added, “Devices and software change often, so we regularly review what operating systems we support and make updates.

“Every year we look at which devices and software are the oldest and have the fewest users. These devices also might not have the latest security updates, or might lack the functionality required to run WhatsApp.”

If you do own one of these older iPhones, this might be a good time to consider upgrading. You might even like the newest “iPhone 16” or “16e,” which comes with smart “Apple Intelligence” features to help you write emails, edit photos, and clean up your inbox automatically.

Read More: Microsoft to Shut Down Skype by May 2025