Some older iPhone models will need a software update to continue running WhatsApp from late November 2026, after Meta confirmed it was increasing the minimum system requirements for the app.
Starting November 30, WhatsApp will require iOS 15.5 or later, instead of the current requirement of iOS 15.1.
Affected models are iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE (1st generation), iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. iOS 15.8.8 is the latest update these models can install, so owners just need to make sure their device is updated before the deadline.
To be clear, no iPhone is outright abandoned. Every model that can run iOS 15.1 can also be updated to 15.5, so a trip to Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update will be enough to stay compatible.
Fortunately, the new requirements are not as strict as last year. In June 2025, WhatsApp completely removed the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus because none of the devices could be updated past iOS 15.0. Affected users were left with web.whatsapp.com as their only option.
Meta says it reviews supported operating systems every year, discarding those with fewer users and those least likely to offer current security updates. Anyone using an affected version will be notified in WhatsApp and reminded to upgrade before support ends.
