[2025] Fixed: WhatsApp Not Updating on iPhone

WhatsApp has played an important role in daily communication with others, hasn’t it? Its messaging features make it convenient to keep connecting with your friends and family. And in order to use its new features, you need to update WhatsApp to the latest version.

Unfortunately, we frequently encounter WhatsApp update problem, the most typical of which being WhatsApp not updating. You may ask: why my WhatsApp is not updating? And how to fix it?

Here in this guide, you will be given possible causes for WhatsApp not updating on iPhone as well as workable solutions to it. Let’s get started.

Why is WhatsApp not Updating?

Learn about the reasons why you can not update WhatsApp in advance, and you'll be able to solve the problem faster. The issue can result from kinds of aspects. The followings are most common and possible ones.

❌ Insufficient iPhone storage. If your iPhone storage is full and have no enough space to install the latest version, then WhatsApp will not updating and backup stuck.
❌ Unstable network connection. The whole update process requires a stable network connection. If your iPhone connects an unstable network connection, you will encounter the issue - WhatsApp is not updating and showing pending.
❌ The new WhatsApp is incompatible with your iPhone. If your iPhone is old or the operating system is out of date, your WhatsApp update will not work.

Now, you have figured out the reasons why your WhatsApp not updating. Then, let’s look at how to easily fix the issue - WhatsApp not updating on iPhone.

5 Fixes to WhatsApp not Updating on iPhone

Here are five solutions to get rid of this problem easily if you are not able to update WhatsApp on iPhone. Try them one after another until your issue gets fixed.

Check Your iPhone Available Storage Space

If your iPhone has been used for a long time, your WhatsApp and many other apps may have taken up a lot of your iPhone storage. That’s why you find WhatsApp is unable to update.

Just in case, you can go to the Settings app on your iPhone > Choose General > Tap iPhone Storage to check the available iPhone storage space.

If you see the Storage Almost Full Alert notification, it is suggested to free up storage space by uninstalling unnecessary apps, saving photos to iCloud, etc.

Check iPhone Network Condition

iPhone's storage space is enough? Then, the second step is to check iPhone network condition. Just open any website in the Safari app to check if your iPhone is connected to a stable Wi-Fi.

You can also reset network settings to prevent any network issues that prevent WhatsApp from updating on iPhone. It won’t erase anything on your iPhone, but refresh your network.

Go to Settings > Tap General >Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Choose Reset Network Settings. When it is finished, enter the Wi-Fi passcode to rejoin the Wi-Fi to see if it resolves the issue.

Force Restart Your iPhone

If your WhatsApp is still not updating, it might be due to an issue with your iPhone. You can force restart your iPhone to refresh its service. The operation is simple but workable, follow the steps below to force restart iPhone.

iPhone 8 and later with Face ID: Press and quickly release the Volume + button > Perform the same operation on the Volume - button > Press the Side button and release when you see the Apple logo.
iPhone 7/7 Plus: Press and hold both the Volume - button and the Power button > Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.
iPhone 6s or earlier: Press both the Power button and the Home button for seconds > Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.

Uninstall and Reinstall WhatsApp

Sometimes uninstalling and reinstalling your WhatsApp on your iPhone can solve any issue related to that app. This is another solution for you to fix the WhatsApp update problem. If you are wondering if you delete WhatsApp, will you lose your photos, please rest assured.

Press and hold the WhatsApp icon on the home screen > Tap Delete icon to uninstall WhatsApp > Download and install WhatsApp from the App Store.

Update iOS to the Latest Version

The latest operating system resolves the glitches and malfunctions that were present in the previous version. Therefore it is suggested to update iOS to the latest version before updating WhatsApp.

Go to Settings on your iPhone > Tap General > Software Update > If any update is available, download and install it.

Bonus: An Easy Way to Transfer WhatsApp to New iPhone/iPad

The WhatsApp update problem hasn’t been solved? If you have a spare iPhone or iPad, you can first transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to another iPad/iPhone with the steps below and then go to an Apple professional for help.

The WhatsApp transfer tool for iOS devices - FoneTool can do you a favor and transfer all WhatsApp chat histories, photos,videos, and attachments with no data loss or effort.

Step 1. Free download, install and launch FoneTool on your computer > Connect your two iPhones to PC via USB > Tap Trust to let your PC access the files on them.

Step 2. Tap WhatsApp Manager from the left pane on the homepage > Select Transfer WhatsApp > Check if your two iDevices are in right place > Click Start Transfer to confirm.

Step 3. When an altered message pops up, Click Confirm > If asked, enter your passcode on the target device > Click OK to begin the transfer.

🚩 FoneTool also provides iOS System Repair services, enabling you to fix common system errors and bugs on your iOS devices. If your WhatsApp not working after trying every solution above, you can backup WhatsApp and fix possible iPhone issues with FoneTool.

Summary

Now, you have known the reasons and solutions for WhatsApp not updating issue. It’s not a serious issue if you can handle the fixing guideline smartly. However, if nothing works, we highly recommend you to ask Apple Supports for help. If needed, share your feedback with us.