As a result, devices that have Android 5.0 or 5.1 and cannot be updated to a later version will have trouble using WhatsApp. To run WhatsApp, at least Android 6.0 Marshmallow or later is now required.

According to a WABetaInfo report, WhatsApp had announced in April of this year that support for older Android versions would end. As scheduled, support for the app on Lollipop versions has completely ended from September 8.

As a result, mainly older smartphones that have been used for many years will be most affected. In particular, for phones whose manufacturers no longer provide software updates and that cannot move to Android 6.0 or later, a new device may be needed to continue using WhatsApp.

What to do to keep WhatsApp running on your phone

First, check the phone's current Android version. If it has Android 5.0 or 5.1, check whether a new software update is available for the phone. If it can be updated to Android 6.0 or later, WhatsApp can continue to be used after the update.

However, if there is no option to install a new Android version on the phone, you will need to move to a new phone that supports Android 6.0 or later in order to use WhatsApp. The same rule applies to WhatsApp Business as well as the regular version of WhatsApp.

Why did WhatsApp stop support for older Android?

WhatsApp regularly adds new features and security measures. At the same time, keeping the app functional across many old and new Android versions makes it difficult to develop new features and maintain their compatibility.

According to the report, due to the technical limitations of older Android versions, not all new features can run properly on them. Therefore, WhatsApp is dropping support for older versions and placing more emphasis on security and new features in relatively newer Android versions.