Overview

• The confirmed cutoff ends technical support and security patches for legacy devices across Apple, Samsung, Motorola, LG, Huawei, Sony, and HTC, including iPhone 5 through SE (first generation) and Samsung Galaxy S3, S4 Mini, Note 2, Core, and Trend.
• To keep receiving updates and full functionality, phones must run at least Android 5.0 or iOS 12.
• Affected devices can still send and receive messages initially, but the app will no longer update, increasing the likelihood of errors and security vulnerabilities over time and risking eventual loss of access.
• Outlets advise backing up chat histories to the cloud, moving to a compatible phone, or using WhatsApp Web as a short-term workaround.
• WhatsApp cites the need to support modern capabilities like advanced end-to-end encryption and multi‑device sync, and Meta says most users already have compatible devices.