From September: WhatsApp to drop support for ancient Android versions

WhatsApp is ending support for older smartphones whose operating system is older than Android 6.0. From September 8, 2026, you will only be able to use the messenger if you continue to use an older app version and prevent updates.

End for Lollipop

This is reported by the independent WhatsApp blog WABetaInfo, which received information from affected users. On their smartphones, a notification window appears in WhatsApp, referring to the upcoming end of support. Accordingly, WhatsApp will discontinue support for all Android versions older than Android 6.0. This means that smartphones with Android 5.0 with the codename Lollipop and 5.1 will no longer be able to use the app after the deadline.

WhatsApp advises impacted users to back up their chats before the date. Users can back up their chat histories either in the cloud on Google Drive or create a local backup on the device, which can be manually transferred to a more current device later if needed.

The background to this decision by WhatsApp is apparently that ancient operating systems would slow down the further development of the messenger. New features require certain minimum requirements, and “support for advanced functions” requires the use of newer system functions and improved performance standards, it is said.

Android 6 and newer required in the future

According to Google's Android version distribution data, the minimum requirement coming into effect in September seems to impact very few users. According to the latest figures from December 2025, about 0.4 percent use the affected Android versions 5.0 and 5.1, which were released over 10 years ago. The oldest Android 6.0 still supported by WhatsApp was released in October 2015.

According to WABetaInfo, users in countries like India, Brazil, and Pakistan, as well as parts of Southeast Asia and Africa, where older smartphones are widespread, are primarily impacted. However, if one believes the approximations from Statcounter, the ancient Android versions are now also scarce there.

Given that Android 5.1 has not received support or security updates for years, but the system contains numerous known security vulnerabilities, it is a correct step by the company to cut off old ties. Android versions that are still actively supplied with security patches make it more difficult to carry out attacks aimed at espionage, for example. Meanwhile, Android 17 is expected in the course of the summer.

(afl)