Why doesn't WhatsApp work? You can do that
Why doesn't WhatsApp work? Perhaps you have had this question before. Here we describe possible problems with the app and how you can solve them.
Whether you want to keep in touch with old school friends or just want to quickly let your date know that you're going to be late, WhatsApp is used billions of times a day. Annoying when the service doesn't work. We'll tell you what you can do then. Below are seven common problems and possible solutions.
Ensure internet connection
If no two ticks appear, the message has not yet gone out. Then make sure your phone has an internet connection. Image: © Screenshot 2022
WhatsApp can only send and receive messages if it is able to communicate with the app servers. An internet connection is required for this. So make sure your smartphone can connect to WiFi or use mobile data.
You can usually tell whether your mobile phone is currently connected to the Internet by the WLAN or bar symbol at the top of the home screen. Otherwise check in the network settings whether both options are activated. Sometimes it helps to turn on airplane mode for a moment or to change location when you're on the go.
restart phone
If you have an internet connection, but WhatsApp still doesn't work, this simple solution can also help: Restart your cell phone. When shutting down and starting up, some problems will take care of themselves. Then start WhatsApp and check whether the messaging service is working again.
Install necessary updates
You can check whether updates for WhatsApp are available in the Google Play Store (Android). Image: © Screenshot 2022
Problems with WhatsApp can also occur if the app is not up to date. You can check whether there are important updates for the application on your Android smartphone in the Google Play Store. Tap on your profile picture in the top right corner and then on "Manage apps and device". There you can see whether updates are pending for your apps.
On the iPhone, you can check the App Store for updates to WhatsApp. At the bottom, tap Today, then tap your profile picture. There you will see an overview of pending app updates.
Google Play Store or App Store will show available updates for WhatsApp, install them and restart the app.
Keep smartphone OS up to date
Not only the app, but also your smartphone operating system should always be up to date. WhatsApp will eventually stop supporting outdated Android or iOS versions. You can check whether there are updates for Android or iOS in the device settings. On the Android phone you can find possible updates under "System > System update". On the iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
Clear app cache
You can clear the WhatsApp app cache via the device settings (Android). Image: © Screenshot 2022
Another possible source of error is the app cache. When using WhatsApp, data always ends up in the background storage. The fuller it gets, the more error-prone the app becomes. To clear WhatsApp's cache on Android, go to "Apps > All apps > WhatsApp > Storage and cache" in Settings. There you have the option of emptying the memory content and the cache of the app.
On the iPhone, go to Settings > Storage and Data > Manage Storage > Review and Delete Files. There you can either delete files from the categories "Larger than 5 MB" or "Frequently forwarded". This frees up memory, which ideally means that WhatsApp runs a little faster again. However, make sure that you save WhatsApp media such as photos and videos that you want to keep elsewhere beforehand.
Reinstall WhatsApp
If none of the solutions mentioned so far bring the desired success, it is worth trying to uninstall and then reinstall the app. If WhatsApp can still be opened on your smartphone, make sure that you create a backup before reinstalling it – on Android in Google Drive and on the iPhone in iCloud.
When reinstalling on the smartphone, WhatsApp will ask you if you want to restore the last backup made if you log in with the same phone number that was used to create the backup. The process is the same for Android and iOS, just follow the on-screen instructions.
Check for general malfunction
If WhatsApp doesn't work for a long time, you can still clarify important things by calling. Image: © Pexels/Efrem Efre 2022
If not only you are wondering why WhatsApp is not working, but also your friends, then there is probably a malfunction in the app. The reason for this is, for example, overloaded servers when more people than usual use the news service at the same time.
You can find out whether this is the case, for example, on alle disturbances.de . The website collects error reports from users, including for WhatsApp. If a lot of reports are coming in, you can assume that the app is malfunctioning in general. The error is then on WhatsApp's part and you can't do anything at first but wait. As a rule, such faults are quickly remedied.
summary
- If WhatsApp is not working, there can be many reasons. The first thing you should do is make sure your smartphone is connected to the internet.
- A simple restart of the phone can help with many common problems.
- Make sure your version of WhatsApp is up to date. You can check this in the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iOS).
- Your smartphone operating system should also always be kept up to date. Outdated systems will eventually no longer be supported by WhatsApp.
- The longer you use WhatsApp, the more data accumulates in the memory and in the background memory. To rule this out as a possible source of error, clear the app cache or storage.
- If the above steps are unsuccessful, try uninstalling and then reinstalling WhatsApp.
- Every now and then there are general disruptions, for example due to overloaded servers. Check out alle disturbances.de to see if more users are reporting WhatsApp problems. In this case, only waiting helps.
