WhatsApp will drop support for some iPhones in October meaning you'll need to upgrade to keep using it

WhatsApp message thread on iPhone X (Image credit: Luke Filipowicz/iMore)

What you need to know

WhatsApp is set to drop support for iOS 10 and iOS 11 in October.
Those with iPhone 5-series devices won't be able to update to iOS 12.

WhatsApp plans to drop support for iOS 11 and iOS 10 from October 24, meaning people will need to update their software if they want to continue to use it. However, those with older iPhones might not be able to update to the versions of iOS required in order to keep using the instant messaging app.

From October 24 devices will need to be running iOS 12 or later if they want to be able to use WhatsApp. While that might not impact the majority of people, those who are using older iPhones — including iPhone 5 and iPhone 5C — will need to upgrade to a newer device.

WABetaInfo reports that WhatsApp is already testing a new alert that will warn people of the move, while the company's support documentation already lists iOS 12 as the required software version for those using its app. Those on older versions of iOS will continue to have access to what is surely one of the /best iPhone messaging apps for a few months, however.

WhatsApp message warning of unsupported iOS version (Image credit: WABetaInfo)

This screenshot reveals that WhatsApp will stop supporting iOS 10 and iOS 11 after October 24, 2022. This is also confirmed by reading an article posted on the official WhatsApp Help Center, that mentions iOS 12 and newer versions as supported and recommended operating systems. If you're using iOS 10 or iOS 11, you need to update to iOS 12 in order to continue using WhatsApp: it means you can still continue using WhatsApp on iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6S, but you need to update your iOS version.

While most people will surely be using iPhones newer than iPhone 5 and iPhone 5C, there could still be plenty of people still making use of the devices. Those people will lose access to WhatsApp within the next few months.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.