If your WhatsApp status is not updating, there are a few potential reasons why this could be happening. The most likely causes are that your internet connection is unstable, your phone’s storage space is low, WhatsApp is not updated to the latest version, or there is an issue with your particular phone model.
Check Your Internet Connection
The most common reason for WhatsApp status not updating is an unstable or slow internet connection. WhatsApp requires a relatively fast and consistent internet connection to upload and download status updates in a timely manner. Here are some things you can try:
- Make sure you have a strong WiFi or cellular data connection. Try moving closer to your router or turning off WiFi and using mobile data instead.
- Restart your phone to reset the network connection.
- Disable battery saver mode, as this can throttle your connection.
- Toggle airplane mode on and off to force a new network connection.
- Try connecting to a different WiFi network if the issue persists on your regular one.
If you have a metered cellular plan, ensure background data is enabled for WhatsApp. You can find this setting under WhatsApp Settings > Data and Storage Usage > Use Less Data for Calls.
Check Available Storage Space
WhatsApp requires free local storage space on your phone to upload status updates. If your phone is low on storage, your status may fail to update.
Try the following to free up space:
- Uninstall unused apps
- Move photos/videos to cloud backup or external storage
- Clear the WhatsApp cache from phone settings
- Delete old chats and media from WhatsApp
- Remove unused themes/stickers within WhatsApp
You should aim to have at least 100MB of free space for WhatsApp to function properly.
Update to the Latest Version
Make sure you are running the latest version of WhatsApp on your phone. Bugs affecting status updates may have been fixed in newer versions.
On Android, open the Play Store, go to Updates, and check for a WhatsApp update. On iPhone, go to the App Store, tap your profile icon, and scroll down to see available updates.
Alternatively, you can uninstall WhatsApp and reinstall the app to get the latest version.
Restart Your Phone
If all else fails, try restarting your phone. This resets all apps and services, clears temporary caches/data, and establishes a fresh network connection.
To restart an Android, hold down the Power button and tap Restart. On an iPhone 8 or earlier, hold down the Power and Home buttons. On newer iPhones, hold either volume button and the side button until the power slider appears.
After restarting, open WhatsApp and try updating your status again.
Check for WhatsApp Outages
There may be widespread WhatsApp outages preventing status updates. Check sites like Down Detector to see if others are reporting WhatsApp issues.
If WhatsApp is down, you’ll have to wait until the outage is resolved. Keep checking for updates from WhatsApp on when service will be restored.
Disable Battery Optimization
On Android phones, having battery optimization enabled for WhatsApp could prevent status updates in the background. Here’s how to disable it:
- Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Advanced > Special App Access > Battery Optimization.
- Select All apps. Find WhatsApp and tap Don’t Optimize.
This allows WhatsApp to run in the background without battery limitations.
Clear Cache and Data
If your WhatsApp has outdated cached data, it may affect the ability to update status. Here’s how to clear it:
On Android:
- Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > See all ___ apps > WhatsApp.
- Tap Storage & Cache > Clear Cache and Clear Data.
On iPhone:
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
- Find WhatsApp and tap Offload App to clear cache.
- Then tap Reinstall App to get fresh data.
This wipes your local WhatsApp data and forces re-synchronization with WhatsApp’s servers.
Factory Reset Your Phone
If nothing else has worked, a factory reset will wipe your phone and install a clean OS copy. You’ll lose everything, but it can fix software issues.
On Android, backup data and go to Settings > System > Reset Options > Erase all data (factory reset).
On iPhone, connect to iTunes on a computer. Then press and hold Volume Up, quickly press Volume Down, then release Power until you see the recovery mode screen. Select Erase All Content and Settings.
After resetting, restore your data and set up WhatsApp again. Your status should now update.
Contact WhatsApp Support
If you still can’t get your WhatsApp status to update after trying the above solutions, contact WhatsApp support for further help:
- On WhatsApp, go to Settings > Help > Contact Us. Send an email describing your issue.
- On Twitter, tweet @WhatsAppSupport to explain your problem and ask for assistance.
- Visit the WhatsApp FAQ page for status troubleshooting guides.
- Post in the WhatsApp Community Forums for help from other users.
Be sure to mention your phone model, Android/iOS version, and WhatsApp version when contacting support. They may be able to identify device-specific bugs causing your status to not update.
Third-Party Apps Interfering
Using certain third-party apps alongside WhatsApp can disrupt normal functioning. For example, apps like SMS schedulers, chat heads, or duplicate messaging apps may conflict with WhatsApp.
Try uninstalling any suspect apps and determine if your WhatsApp status works normally without them. Reinstall apps one-by-one to identify any problematic ones.
Switch Between Cellular Data and WiFi
As a workaround, try switching between cellular data and WiFi to force your status update to go through. For example:
- Disconnect from WiFi and use cellular data.
- Open WhatsApp and update your status.
- Once it uploads, reconnect to WiFi.
Alternatively, if on cellular data already:
- Connect to a WiFi network.
- Open WhatsApp and update status.
- Once uploaded, switch back to cellular data.
Bouncing between connections can allow your status update to go through when one network is being problematic.
Update Your Phone’s Software
Having outdated OS software can introduce WhatsApp bugs. Ensure your phone is updated:
On Android:
- Go to Settings > System > System Update to check for OS updates.
- Install any available updates and restart your phone when prompted.
On iPhone:
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check for iOS updates.
- Tap Download and Install to get the latest iOS version.
Updating provides OS improvements, security patches, and potentially fixes for WhatsApp issues.
Disable Auto-Night Mode on Samsung Devices
Samsung devices running Android 12 or later have an Auto Night Mode that can interfere with WhatsApp’s background processing for status updates.
To disable:
- Go to Settings > Display > Auto brightness.
- Toggle OFF the option for “Apply Auto Night mode to Wallpaper colors”.
This prevents Auto Night Mode from disrupting WhatsApp and blocking status updates.
Uninstall and Reinstall WhatsApp
If all else fails, uninstalling and reinstalling WhatsApp can act as a hard reset and fix underlying software issues:
On Android:
- Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications.
- Find WhatsApp and tap Uninstall.
- Restart your phone.
- Go to the Play Store and reinstall WhatsApp.
- Log in using your phone number and restore your chats/data from backup.
On iPhone:
- Press and hold the WhatsApp icon until icons shake.
- Tap the X icon to delete the app.
- Restart your iPhone.
- Go to the App Store and reinstall WhatsApp.
- Log in with your phone number and restore backup.
Reinstalling can clear out any corrupted data or software bugs preventing your status from updating properly in WhatsApp.