The WhatsApp instant messaging service announced that from May 5, 2025, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus smartphones will no longer have official support for the messenger. To fully operate the application, you will need smartphones running iOS 15.1 and later.
Image source: ComputerBase
Please remember that iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus do not support operating systems newer than iOS 12.5.7. WhatsApp’s end of support for these devices does not mean that smartphones will no longer be able to be used with the messaging app after May 5, 2025. Existing and activated user accounts will still be able to be used on these devices, but the company will no longer release updates with new features for these smartphones. In addition, smartphones that lose support also do not receive security updates, which increases the risk of hacking.
On iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, after May 5 next year, it will no longer be possible to activate new phone numbers when registering with WhatsApp. In case of resetting the settings to factory settings, deleting the application or confirming the number on another smartphone, which will automatically lead to account deactivation on the current iPhone, owners of old iPhones will immediately lose access to their WhatsApp account.
WhatsApp currently supports devices running Android 5.0 and above, as well as iPhones running iOS 12 and above. However, the company added on its official website that from May 5, 2025, only devices with iOS version 15.1 and later will be supported.
The iPhone 5s was released in September 2013, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models were released in September 2014. Apple itself stopped supporting the iPhone 6 Plus in April of this year. Thus, WhatsApp will stop supporting these smartphones after more than 11 (iPhone 5s) and 12 years from the date of their release, and after Apple itself. And yet, there are still many users of these old devices in the world.