WhatsApp won’t work on older smartphones: Here’s everything you need to know

If you're still using dated operating system on your phone, it's time to act. Facebook-owned WhatsApp earlier this week announced ending support for older generation of Android, iOS and Windows Phone.

Who will be affected?

WhatsApp will stop working on iPhones running iOS 8 or older. For Android, the app will stop functioning on phones running version 2.3.7. WhatsApp has already announced ending support for Windows Phone.

When will it happen?

For iOS and Android users, WhatsApp has given February 1, 2020 deadline. For Windows users, the support ends on December 31, 2019.

What should you do?

The first thing you can do is update your mobile operating system. Android users, go to device Settings > About Phone > System Updates > check for updates. If you've an update, download and install it on your phone. iOS users, open Settings on your phone> General > Software Update.

You may also consider upgrading to a new smartphone with the latest Android or iOS versions instead of trying to installing an update on your old phone.

Nonetheless, Android users can keep backup of your WhatsApp conversations on Google Drive. In order to do so, tap on the three dots menu on the top right corner. Go to Settings > Chats > Chat backups. Choose between the options given to take a backup. When you're installing your account on a new phone, you can simply download the backup from Drive.