WhatsApp announced that beginning September 8, 2026, it will stop supporting older Android operating systems, a move expected to block access to the app for millions of users worldwide.

The change will affect devices running Android 5.0 Lollipop and Android 5.1 Lollipop. In contrast, iPhone users operating on iOS 15.1 or later will not be impacted. The company said the decision is intended to allow continued development of advanced features that require more modern and capable technology.

Those most affected are expected to be users in developing countries such as India and Brazil, where older devices remain common. However, the impact is also relevant in Israel, particularly for individuals using secondary phones, children’s devices, or older smartphones that have not been updated.

Apple users will not see any change, as support for iOS remains intact. Anyone using iOS 15.1 or newer—including iPad users—will continue to receive updates and features as usual. Android users running version 6.0 or higher are also not affected.

WhatsApp cited security and performance concerns as the primary reasons for the shift, noting that older operating systems do not support modern security protocols and struggle to handle the demands of current applications.

Users are strongly advised to back up their chats before the cutoff date. This can be done through the app’s settings by saving data to Google Drive, allowing for easy restoration on a new device. For those without sufficient cloud storage, a local backup to the device’s memory can be created and manually transferred to another phone or computer.

After the September deadline, users with unsupported devices will have only one viable option: upgrading to a newer phone. Even entry-level models today typically run Android 13 or higher, well above WhatsApp’s new minimum requirements.

{Matzav.com}