WhatsApp Is Now Blocking Logins on Devices With Outdated OS

In addition to rolling out new parental controls for teens with Meta AI and group settings, WhatsApp is now preventing users from logging into the app if their device is running outdated software. The change applies to specific users on both Android and iOS and is being delivered through a server-side update, meaning users do not need to install a new WhatsApp version to receive it.

WhatsApp now requires some users to update their iOS and Android devices

According to WABetaInfo, users affected by the change will see a new screen when they try to log into WhatsApp. The app asks them to open their device settings and install the latest available operating system update before they can continue. Once the device is updated, they can return to WhatsApp and complete the login process.

The restriction is currently rolling out to selected accounts on both Android and iOS. WhatsApp has not revealed which specific operating system versions trigger the login block, so users running the same WhatsApp version may see different behavior depending on their device software.

WhatsApp has already been moving away from older operating systems. The company stopped supporting Android 5.0 and 5.1 in September, making Android 6.0 the minimum supported version. On iPhone, WhatsApp currently supports iOS 15.1 and newer, but that requirement will increase to iOS 15.5 or newer from November 30, 2026.

WhatsApp says outdated software can put accounts at risk

The reason behind the new login requirement is security. An outdated operating system may contain known vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit, potentially compromising data on the device before WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption can protect it.

For affected users, there is no workaround inside WhatsApp. The device software must be updated before the login can continue. WhatsApp has not said when the server-side rollout will reach all eligible users.