Starting November 30, 2026, the official WhatsApp app for iPhone will only work on devices running iOS 15.5 or later. Those who still use an iPhone stuck with a previous version of the operating system will therefore have to update the device before this date to continue using the service without interruptions. The news concerns both the standard version of WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business, given that the two apps share the same software base and, consequently, the same technical requirements.
Why you need to update your iPhone
This is nothing new in the world of software: apps are progressively reducing support for older versions of operating systems in order to develop new features or to fix any bugs and security problems. In addition to this, discontinuing support for outdated versions of mobile operating systems will allow Meta to improve the app. In this regard, WABetaInfothe portal that first broke the news just reported, explained:
Stopping support for older versions of iOS (…) offers real benefits for app development. New APIs introduced in the latest versions of iOS allow WhatsApp to implement features that would otherwise be complex to implement. Additionally, some bugs only appear in older versions of iOS. Fixing them takes time and resources that could be spent improving the app for most users. Focusing on the most used iOS versions helps make the app more stable and reliable.
There is therefore also a question of optimizing resources: continuing to support obsolete versions of iOS requires additional resources, given that each update must be tested on an ever-increasing number of configurations. This slows down overall development and limits improvements for the majority of users, who in the meantime are using much more up-to-date systems. Focusing on the most recent versions, which are the majority in circulation, allows you to give the app more stability.
What users should do
For most people, the change won’t mean you need to change your iPhone. In fact, it will be enough to update the device to iOS 15.5 from the Settings > General > Software Update section.
Android devices that will not be supported from September 8th
Furthermore, starting from 8 September 2026, WhatsApp will no longer be usable on devices with Android 5.0 and 5.1, as the famous messaging app developed by Meta will abandon support for all versions prior to Android 6.0. To inform affected users, WhatsApp has started showing warnings directly in the app, reporting the imminent expiration and the fact that, after that date, those who own devices with Android versions that are too old will no longer be able to access the service.
