WhatsApp will no longer support a wide range of Android devices as of Monday, November 1. Users' chats will be lost if they have not yet been backed up and exported as a result of the change. Users must switch to a suitable device to continue accessing WhatsApp's instant messaging service.
The app's list of supported devices includes smartphones running Android 4.1 and later. WhatsApp is also compatible with the most recent iOS and KaiOS systems.
WhatsApp has announced, via an updated FAQ page, that it will no longer support phones running Android 4.0.4 and previous versions as of next week. Users who are affected are advised
to switch to a supported device and save their chat history before the deadline.
Here's how to find out if WhatsApp is ending support for your Android phone.
You can check to see if WhatsApp support for your Android device is coming to an end by following the steps below.
- Visit Settings then click on the About phone option.
- Scroll down to check the Android version of your phone.
- If you are one of the affected users, you can export your chat history by backing up your chats or exporting individual or group chats individually.
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To create a backup, open settings > Chats > Chat backup > Back up in WhatsApp.
You may also export a group or individual chat by accessing it and clicking the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner of your screen. You can also choose whether to export your chat
with or without the media items you've received in it, such as audio, photos, and videos.
Popular phones on which Whatsapp will no longer work
Popular Android devices that WhatsApp will stop working on include, Samsung Galaxy SII, Galaxy S3 mini, Optimus L5 Dual, Optimus L4 II Dual, Optimus F7, and Optimus F5.
For iOS, the minimum system requirements for WhatsApp will be iOS 10 and later. From November 1st, any iPhone running an operating system older than iOS 10 will no longer function. Devices
such as the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, and Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) will no longer support the messaging app.
WhatsApp is only compatible with phones running KaiOS 2.5.0 or later. JioPhone and JioPhone 2 will continue to be supported.