WhatsApp has stopped working on phones running Android 5.0 and Android 5.1, with the change taking effect on September 8. According to a report by WABetaInfo, the messaging app now requires at least Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and the requirement applies to both WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business. So, if WhatsApp suddenly stopped working on your old Android phone this week, the version of Android you are running could be the reason.
WhatsApp announced the change in April and had already been warning affected users through an in-app notification. If your phone can be upgraded to Android 6.0 or newer, you can install the available update and continue using the app. However, some older phones were never updated beyond Android 5, and there is not much you can do with those. If the manufacturer no longer provides a newer Android version, getting a newer phone is the only practical option.
You can check which Android version your phone is running by opening Settings > About Phone or About Device and looking for Android Version. The exact location varies between manufacturers. If you are on Android 6.0 or newer, this particular change does not affect you.
If you have to replace the phone, make sure your WhatsApp chats are backed up before making the switch. On the new device, install WhatsApp, register with the same phone number and restore your available backup when prompted.
The move is hardly surprising. Android 5.0 was released in 2014, and WhatsApp has little reason to keep supporting an operating system that is now more than a decade old. Most users will not notice the change, but if your phone is still stuck on Android 5, WhatsApp has officially moved on.
