Older phones lack the memory needed for modern encrypted messaging. Why Support Was Dropped Security Risks
Last updated: April 2026
Your old phone might run Android 6.0.1 officially, but developers on XDA often create custom ROMs like (Android 11) for older hardware. This is the only way to keep the same phone while running a modern Android version that supports the latest WhatsApp. will whatsapp work on android 6.0.1
As of April 2026, the current minimum requirement to use WhatsApp is Android 5.0 (Lollipop) Older phones lack the memory needed for modern
Since you are on 6.0.1, you will remain compatible even after this September update. The Caveat: As of April 2026, the current minimum requirement
: Come September 8, 2026, WhatsApp will stop supporting anything older than Android 6. Your 6.0.1 device will be the very last generation "grandfathered" into the app. While it will still work that day, you won't be able to update to a newer Android version if WhatsApp eventually moves the goalpost to Android 7.0 or higher. What should you do?