Millions of phones around the world will stop being able to run WhatsApp from January 1, 2021 as the messaging app phases out older devices. In some cases, phones can be updated to more recent software in order to keep WhatsApp alive – but others will lose it altogether. WhatsApp frequently drops support for older devices to keep up to date. From December 31, 2020, any iPhone running software older than iOS 9 will no longer be able to use it.

This effectively means the iPhone 4 and older. The iPhone 4S, 5, 5S, 5C, 6 and 6S can all be updated to iOS 9 to keep WhatsApp running. Meanwhile, any Android device running anything older than Android 4.0.3 will be similarly affected. If you do have a phone that is unable to be updated and don’t want to lose your chats, make sure you back them up before New Year’s Eve. 

You can do this by opening the chat you want to save and tapping on Group Info. You’ll then need to tap Export Chat to be given the option to download the chat with or without included media.

Unfortunately, if your phone can’t be updated then you’ll need to start looking for a new one in 2021. 

WhatsApp launched back in 2009 and is now the most popular messaging app in the world. In 2014, the app was acquired by Facebook for $19 billion. Facebook is currently in the process of merging WhatsApp with Instagram and Facebook Messenger so users can interact seamlessly between all three platforms.    

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