WhatsApp ending support for outdated versions of Android and iOS

WhatsApp has confirmed that it will soon stop supporting devices running outdated versions of Android and iOS.

According to the WhatsApp support page, WhatsApp will now only run on Android devices running Android 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher. For iOS users, you will need to have iOS 9 or higher.

Additionally, it says if you are running Android 2.3.7 and older you will no longer be able to create a new account or reverify an existing account. However, those of you already using WhatsApp will be able to continue to do so until February 1, 2020.

“We provide support for and recommend using the following devices:

Android running OS 4.0.3+
iPhone running iOS 9+
Select phones running KaiOS 2.5.1+, including JioPhone and JioPhone 2″

If you are using an older version of Android and iOS, you can back up your WhatsApp chats to Google Drive soon to ensure that all of your messages can be transferred to a newer device.

You can back up your chats manually, open WhatsApp and tap on More options. Next, navigate to Settings > Chats > Chat backup > Back Up.