WhatsApp plans to block people whose phones have not been updated

[Newsfeed]

WhatsApp plans to block people whose phones have not been updated

WhatsApp is testing a new security measure that forces users to update their phones or be blocked from logging onto the popular messaging platform.

 

[Praeses]

I hope they don't limit it too much, else old phones which no longer get OS updates will end up in the landfills.

 

[Gordon_R]

WhatsApp has been doing this for years, albeit indirectly. First it was Android 4 and 5, then Android 6 became barely usable (last phone was 11 year old Samsung J5). The article doesn't say what the current threshold is going to be? The current WhatsApp Help Center says that Android 6 is still supported:

About supported operating systems | WhatsApp Help Center

faq.whatsapp.com

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

Signal and Telegram are waiting, not to mention others like wechat and line/Viber

Whatsapp better not block too many phones from using their platform or next thing you know,
just like BBM before that, everybody will jump ship.

 

[Swa]

WhatsApp has been doing this for years, albeit indirectly. First it was Android 4 and 5, then Android 6 became barely usable (last phone was 11 year old Samsung J5). The article doesn't say what the current threshold is going to be? The current WhatsApp Help Center says that Android 6 is still supported:

About supported operating systems | WhatsApp Help Center

faq.whatsapp.com

This doesn't appear to be the same. You can have the same old Android version but must update with the latest security patches. I don't see how they would know exactly with some devices 5 year old that no longer get updates. I can see a lot of problems.

 

[Gordon_R]

This doesn't appear to be the same. You can have the same old Android version but must update with the latest security patches. I don't see how they would know exactly with some devices 5 year old that no longer get updates. I can see a lot of problems.

There is no way my 5 year old Samsung will be updated with the latest security patches (expired 1 March 2025!?) The 11 year old one is already obsolete, with many websites failing to load because of out of date TLS/SSL, etc. Maybe they mean this, rather than OS patches?

The WhatsApp Beta page states the same as the OP in this thread, which will cause millions of phones to fail, but there are still vague statements involved:

WhatsApp blocks logins on devices with outdated software | WABetaInfo

WhatsApp is rolling out a server-side update that blocks logins on iOS and Android devices running outdated operating systems.

wabetainfo.com

WhatsApp is automatically applying this security measure to any account on a device with outdated software. The security alert can appear to specific Android and iOS users. People who do not see this screen may see it in the future if their device software falls below WhatsApp's minimum requirement. WhatsApp has not announced which specific versions trigger the block.

 

[Swa]

There is no way my 5 year old Samsung will be updated with the latest security patches (expired 1 March 2025!?) The 11 year old one is already obsolete, with many websites failing to load because of out of date TLS/SSL, etc. Maybe they mean this, rather than OS patches?

The WhatsApp Beta page states the same as the OP in this thread, which will cause millions of phones to fail, but there are still vague statements involved:

WhatsApp blocks logins on devices with outdated software | WABetaInfo

WhatsApp is rolling out a server-side update that blocks logins on iOS and Android devices running outdated operating systems.

wabetainfo.com

That is the issue. Whatsapp versions used to fail after a certain time and with a finite update path it would eventually stop working on a device. Maybe they mean the check would now be server side. This is a really sketchy announcement.

 

[Gordon_R]

That is the issue. Whatsapp versions used to fail after a certain time and with a finite update path it would eventually stop working on a device. Maybe they mean the check would now be server side. This is a really sketchy announcement.

If so I can see lots of people rushing out to buy R999 phones to install WhatsApp...

BTW, no comment on the Desktop client? Mine is running on Windows 7 (and used to run on XP), which by any definition is an obsolete and insecure system.

 

[Bad Ballie]

A valid excuse to no longer be part of the work WhatsApp community, which is the only reason I have WhatsApp at all in the first place.

 

[Sargeant]

Honestly, not having Whatsapp would be the best gift I could get!

 

[Johnatan56]

There is no way my 5 year old Samsung will be updated with the latest security patches (expired 1 March 2025!?) The 11 year old one is already obsolete, with many websites failing to load because of out of date TLS/SSL, etc. Maybe they mean this, rather than OS patches?

The WhatsApp Beta page states the same as the OP in this thread, which will cause millions of phones to fail, but there are still vague statements involved:

WhatsApp blocks logins on devices with outdated software | WABetaInfo

WhatsApp is rolling out a server-side update that blocks logins on iOS and Android devices running outdated operating systems.

wabetainfo.com

It should still be getting Google play security updates, the newer the android version, the more modules are managed by it (from android 10 onward). Good chance most of the stuff that's a security issue on your phone is patched via that.

It's why the android to ios comparison in support doesn't really work, to update safari you need an ios update, android it's an app, to update the Bluetooth / Wi-Fi module, Google play can push an update when it's a full ios version update.

The annoying thing is that it requires you to manually go in settings and check if an update is available, and then restart each time individually till up to latest patch, it doesn't pop up to say update available.

 

[Smiggles]

It should still be getting Google play security updates, the newer the android version, the more modules are managed by it (from android 10 onward). Good chance most of the stuff that's a security issue on your phone is patched via that.

It's why the android to ios comparison in support doesn't really work, to update safari you need an ios update, android it's an app, to update the Bluetooth / Wi-Fi module, Google play can push an update when it's a full ios version update.

The annoying thing is that it requires you to manually go in settings and check if an update is available, and then restart each time individually till up to latest patch, it doesn't pop up to say update available.

Still a broken system since Google can't patch the kernel through the play store etc.

About the security content of iOS 15.8.7 and iPadOS 15.8.7 - Apple Support

This document describes the security content of iOS 15.8.7 and iPadOS 15.8.7.

support.apple.com

Kernel
Available for: iPhone 6s (all models), iPhone 7 (all models), iPhone SE (1st generation), iPad Air 2, iPad mini (4th generation), and iPod touch (7th generation)

Impact: An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.

 

[FiestaST]

No mentioned of the the Stylo phones?

 

[Gordon_R]

It should still be getting Google play security updates, the newer the android version, the more modules are managed by it (from android 10 onward). Good chance most of the stuff that's a security issue on your phone is patched via that.

It's why the android to ios comparison in support doesn't really work, to update safari you need an ios update, android it's an app, to update the Bluetooth / Wi-Fi module, Google play can push an update when it's a full ios version update.

The annoying thing is that it requires you to manually go in settings and check if an update is available, and then restart each time individually till up to latest patch, it doesn't pop up to say update available.

Mine is a 2021 phone. It got 2 complete Android version updates, but the last security update was on 1 Mar 2025. No further security updates are available, even if I request manually. The WhatsApp site gives no idea what kinds of patches are needed, so its a huge guessing game at this stage. Maybe just a false alarm, but not good PR...

 

[Smiggles]

People buying Teclast tablets and Doogee phones will be SOL lol. The only updates they get is the ones they're shipped with.

 

[Johnatan56]

Mine is a 2021 phone. It got 2 complete Android version updates, but the last security update was on 1 Mar 2025. No further security updates are available, even if I request manually. The WhatsApp site gives no idea what kinds of patches are needed, so its a huge guessing game at this stage. Maybe just a false alarm, but not good PR...

I'm talking about from Google, not Samsung, they are still being delivered for your phone, they go back to quite old android versions, it's how your wallet app for example stays up to date.

Settings > security and privacy > updates > Google play system update.

You do need to hit check even if page says latest, it for some reason just doesn't do the check, and after updating, do it again, you'll have to restart each time it updates and then do check again till at latest.

Think September this year should be latest currently.

Link:
https://source.android.com/docs/core/ota/modular-system
Also has list of what system module updates are via Google from what Version of android.

Android 10/11 are most security issues, and then 14 is basically everything that matters, though 15 includes NFC.

But WhatsApp will be fine post Android 11 basically, and will probably support older.

 

[Gordon_R]

I'm talking about from Google, not Samsung, they are still being delivered for your phone, they go back to quite old android versions, it's how your wallet app for example stays up to date.

Settings > security and privacy > updates > Google play system update.

You do need to hit check even if page says latest, it for some reason just doesn't do the check, and after updating, do it again, you'll have to restart each time it updates and then do check again till at latest.

Think September this year should be latest currently.

Link:
https://source.android.com/docs/core/ota/modular-system
Also has list of what system module updates are via Google from what Version of android.

Android 10/11 are most security issues, and then 14 is basically everything that matters, though 15 includes NFC.

But WhatsApp will be fine post Android 11 basically, and will probably support older.

Thanks, but I am fully aware of the difference between Google Play updates and Samsung updates. I had never seen that particular menu screen before. (It's an old phone, but new to me, so I checked every system menu at least once). I don't use Google Wallet, but many other updates do take place (mostly in the background). The 1 March 2025 message was through Device Care, which is probably a Samsung menu...

 

[Swa]

I'm talking about from Google, not Samsung, they are still being delivered for your phone, they go back to quite old android versions, it's how your wallet app for example stays up to date.

Settings > security and privacy > updates > Google play system update.

You do need to hit check even if page says latest, it for some reason just doesn't do the check, and after updating, do it again, you'll have to restart each time it updates and then do check again till at latest.

Think September this year should be latest currently.

Link:
https://source.android.com/docs/core/ota/modular-system
Also has list of what system module updates are via Google from what Version of android.

Android 10/11 are most security issues, and then 14 is basically everything that matters, though 15 includes NFC.

But WhatsApp will be fine post Android 11 basically, and will probably support older.

Can't find the menu so had to do a search. Mine says last updated 1 May 2023. I did get the occasional Samsung system (not OS) updates which I can't turn off and it doesn't matter what my download settings are. My last security update was 1 July 2022. Android version is 10 which should be supported by Whatsapp for years to come but my phone is way out of date security wise.

If Whatsapp doesn't keep in mind that many phones don't get updates any more and can recognise them this is going to be a blunder where millions of people with perfectly fine phones get cut off.

 

[NR7]

Signal and Telegram are waiting, not to mention others like wechat and line/Viber

They've been waiting for years and they can continue waiting, they're almost irrelevant.

iMessage in the US and Whatsapp in the rest of the free world and that wlll remain for ages.

 

[Swa]

They've been waiting for years and they can continue waiting, they're almost irrelevant.

iMessage in the US and Whatsapp in the rest of the free world and that wlll remain for ages.

They're not irrelevant. They're just not used by the general public but there are plenty of people who use them as secondary apps for collaboration because of the security.