WhatsApp Will Stop Working On Some Older Smart Phones In The New Year

The messaging app will no longer be supported on devices that are running older operating systems and, while some people may be able to update their phones and still use it, others with even older phones will lose it completely.

The changes will hit anyone who is currently using iOS9 or older or Android 4.0.3 - to keep using WhatsApp, you'll need to do an update of your operating system.

Unfortunately, anyone who currently has an iPhone 4, or an older Android such as the Samsung Galaxy S2, HTC Desire or LG Optimus Black, won't be able to use it at all.

For anyone who needs to, you can upgrade your iPhone by going into 'Settings', 'General' and then 'Software Update' - if there's an update available and your phone is capable, you'll be able to do it here.

While Android users need to go into their 'Settings' and find 'About Phone' to see if there's updates available.

WhatsApp ends support for older phones each year, with iOS 8 or older and Android 2.3.7 phones getting the boot earlier this year.

Posting on the FAQ, WhatsApp explained: "You can send messages that disappear on WhatsApp by enabling disappearing messages.

"Once enabled, new messages sent in the individual or group chat will disappear after seven days. The most recent selection controls all messages in the chat.

"This setting won't affect messages you previously sent or received in the chat. In an individual chat, either user can turn disappearing messages on or off.

"In a group chat, only group admins can turn disappearing messages on or off."

WhatsApp explained that if a user doesn't open WhatsApp during this seven-day period, the message will disappear, but the preview of the message might still display in notifications until the app is opened.

WhatsApp also pointed out that when you reply to a message, the initial message is quoted, and if you reply to a disappearing message, the quoted text might remain in the chat after seven days.

To enable it, you'll need to click on a specific chat, hit the person's name and then scroll down to 'Disappearing Messages' and select 'On'.

To disable, just change 'On' to 'Off' and Bob's your uncle.