As of April 2026, Android 7.1.1 is currently supported by WhatsApp , but this will change soon. WhatsApp currently requires Android 5.0 or newer . However, an official update confirms that starting September 8, 2026 , WhatsApp will only support Android version 6 and newer WhatsApp Help Center
Warning: If your phone has only 1GB RAM (e.g., Samsung J3), WhatsApp will be painfully slow. Consider WhatsApp Business (lighter) or switching to Telegram. Download Whatsapp For Android 7.1.1
Since Android 7.1.1 supports the current build of WhatsApp, you will have access to almost all modern features, including: As of April 2026, Android 7
. While older versions of Android are phased out annually to maintain security, Android 7.1.1 is currently well above the minimum requirement of Android 5.0 . However, users should note that starting September 8, 2026 , WhatsApp will raise its minimum requirement to Android 6.0 No WhatsApp Channels (introduced in 2023)
Plan ahead: Backup your chats (Settings → Chats → Chat backup). Consider upgrading your phone or flashing a custom ROM like LineageOS 18.1+ (Android 11).
WhatsApp/Databases folder manually to the new phone.