WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps, used by over 2 billion people worldwide. It allows you to easily communicate with friends, family, coworkers, and more through text, voice notes, video calls, and more. However, one common issue that many WhatsApp users encounter is having an inaccurate date shown within the app. This can be frustrating, especially when trying to keep track of the timeline of conversations. Luckily, there are a few ways to fix this issue on both iPhone and Android devices.
Check Settings & Date/Time on Your Phone
The first step is to ensure the date and time settings on your phone itself are correct. Here’s how to do this:
On iPhone
Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and make sure the date/time displayed matches the current date/time in your timezone. Additionally, make sure “Set Automatically” is toggled on – this will sync your device’s date and time with your cellular network. If “Set Automatically” is off, toggle it on.
On Android
Go to Settings > System > Date & Time. Make sure “Automatic date & time” is toggled on so your device syncs to the network date/time. If not toggled on, tap on it to enable it. You can also manually adjust the date and time if needed.
Ensuring your device’s internal date/time settings match the current date/time should resolve any incorrect dates in WhatsApp. The messaging app pulls the date/time from your device’s internal clock.
Force Stop WhatsApp
If adjusting your device’s date/time settings doesn’t fix the issue, try force stopping WhatsApp. This essentially refreshes the app and clears any glitches that could be displaying the wrong date.
On iPhone
Double tap the Home button to open the app switcher. Swipe up on the WhatsApp preview window to force close it. Then launch WhatsApp again – the date should now display accurately.
On Android
Open Settings > Apps > WhatsApp. Tap Force Stop. This will close out the app. Open WhatsApp again and check if the date is now correct.
Force stopping the app gives it a clean slate, which often resolves any software bugs causing incorrect dates.
Update WhatsApp
Make sure you’re running the latest version of WhatsApp. Outdated versions of the app may show the wrong date due to software bugs. Updating to the newest version likely installs patches and fixes for date issues.
On iPhone
Go to the App Store and tap your profile icon in the top right. Pull down to refresh – if any updates are available for WhatsApp, you’ll see the Update button appear. Tap it to update.
On Android
Open the Play Store and go to My Apps & Games. If WhatsApp has an update available, you’ll see the Update button next to it. Tap it to update.
Alternatively, open WhatsApp, tap the 3 dots menu > Settings > Help > App info. If an update is available, you’ll see the Update button.
Keeping WhatsApp fully updated provides the best chance of having the correct date show within the app.
Unlink and Relink WhatsApp
If the above steps don’t work, unlinking your phone number and re-verifying it in WhatsApp can overwrite any corrupted data causing the date issue.
On iPhone
1. Open WhatsApp Settings > Account > Log Out. Confirm again to log out.
2. When prompted, enter your phone number and tap Delete My Account.
3. Once your account is deleted, reinstall WhatsApp from the App Store.
4. Open WhatsApp and reverify your phone number when prompted.
5. Once activated again, check if the date now shows accurately.
On Android
1. Open WhatsApp, tap the 3 dots menu > Settings > Account > Remove account. Confirm again to remove.
2. Open your phone’s Apps settings and clear data for WhatsApp. This fully resets the app.
3. Reopen WhatsApp – you’ll have to reverify your number.
4. Once your account is setup again, open a chat to see if the date is now fixed.
This process essentially starts your WhatsApp account from scratch, clearing any corrupted date values.
Contact WhatsApp Support
If all else fails, contact WhatsApp directly about the inaccurate date issue:
– On iPhone, open WhatsApp Settings > Help > Contact Us. Send them a message about the date problem.
– On Android, tap the 3 dots menu > Settings > Help > Contact us. Explain the issue you’re facing.
WhatsApp’s own technical support team may be able to diagnose and resolve persistent date issues that you can’t fix yourself. Provide details like your phone model, Android/iOS version, WhatsApp version, and screenshots of the issue.
Use a Third Party Date Display App
While trying to resolve the wrong date in WhatsApp, consider using a third party app to display the correct date within WhatsApp chats. Here are some options:
Date for WhatsApp (Android)
This handy Android app overlays the current date within your WhatsApp chats. Just enable the app setting for WhatsApp after installing it. The date it displays comes from your phone’s clock so it will be accurate.
Watusi (iOS Jailbreak)
For jailbroken iPhones, the Watusi tweak adds a customizable date display within WhatsApp. You can pick different date formats and fonts to fit your needs.
These apps provide temporary workarounds while you try to fix the core date issue in WhatsApp itself. Having the correct date visible within chats makes it much easier to keep your message timeline organized.
Reset Your Phone
As a last resort, a full factory reset of your iPhone or Android can eliminate any residual bugs causing the wrong date in WhatsApp. Before resetting, make sure your data is backed up. Resetting will wipe your phone.
On iPhone
To factory reset, go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. This will wipe your device and reboot it. Restore from your iCloud backup afterwards. Reinstall WhatsApp clean and check if the date shows properly.
On Android
On Android devices, factory reset steps can vary. Usually you’ll go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset). Backup data first, then reset your phone. Set it up again, reinstall WhatsApp, and verify if the date issue is resolved after the clean install.
Resetting your phone erases any corrupted WhatsApp data and starts fresh. This has the highest chance of permanently fixing the wrong date, but should only be done as a last resort.
Conclusion
Having the wrong date show up in WhatsApp can be annoying, but thankfully there are a few fixes:
– Check date/time settings on your phone and make sure they’re set automatically
– Force stop and restart the WhatsApp app
– Update WhatsApp to the latest version from the app store
– Unlink and reverify your phone number in WhatsApp
– Contact WhatsApp support for further help
– Use a third party date display app as a temporary workaround
– Factory reset your phone (last resort)
In most cases, the issue should be resolved by adjusting your device date/time settings, force stopping WhatsApp, or updating the app. But for persistent date problems, the nuclear options of unlinking your number or factory resetting your device will likely get things back on track.
With the right fix, you can get back to seamlessly chatting on WhatsApp without having to worry about inaccurate dates anymore!