Messaging service WhatsApp has long supported three mobile operating systems but one is being dropped meaning the app will stop working for millions of users.
WhatsApp is available for Android, iOS and KaiOS. The latter is an operating system for simple feature phones on which, unlike the majority of basic phones, the app can be used. But this will soon be a thing of the past, as WhatsApp is discontinuing support for KaiOS.
Whatsapp writes: “Every year we look at which devices and software are the oldest and have the fewest users.” And specifically about KaiOS, WhatsApp adds the following:
Our goal is to provide a private and reliable service for as many people as possible.
To do so, we regularly review how WhatsApp is being used including our growing set of features that advance global private calling and messaging.
Going forward, WhatsApp support on devices that run KaiOS will end. Before we stop support for these devices, all impacted users will be directly notified ahead of time.
Users of KaiOS devices should copy their important information outside the device as there is no backup support or ability to restore from these devices.
KaiOS
The website Teltarif adds that it has no longer been possible to create a new WhatsApp account on a mobile phone with KaiOS since 25 June 2024. Anyone already using WhatsApp on a KaiOS mobile phone can continue to do so until the beginning of 2025. However, this will end in February 2025.
In some cases, there are already problems connecting to WhatsApp under KaiOS. In July 2024, there were also significant problems with Whatsapp on KaiOS after a Whatsapp update.
What is KaiOS?
KaiOS mobile phones are or were an exciting solution. KaiOS is based on Firefox OS and is a relatively uncommon mobile phone operating system for feature phones. It is used on several Nokia mobile phones from manufacturer HMD, for example.
You can find a list of all KaiOS mobile phones here. 23 million KaiOS devices were produced in Q1 of 2018, according to Wikipedia.
WhatsApp lists all mobile operating systems supported by the messenger on this website. This means that the messenger now runs on these systems:
- Android 5.0+
- iOS 12+ (Starting 5 May 5 2025, only iOS versions 15.1 and newer will be supported)
This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and adapted from German.
Author: Hans-Christian Dirscherl, Managing Editor, PC-WELT
Hans-Christian Dirscherl began his IT life with Autoexec.bat and config.sys, Turbo-Pascal and C, Sinix and Wordperfect. He has been writing on almost all IT topics for around 25 years, covering everything from news to reviews and buying guides.