Many WhatsApp users often have to deal with some critical app issues, many of them related to installing, updating, sending messages and downloading media. Here we’ll cover the most common errors on Android and iOS devices.
Table of Contents
15 common WhatsApp errors and how to fix them
If you are experiencing any error whose solution is not available on this page, you can contact WhatsApp Help under Settings> Help> Contact Us.
1. Waiting for this message. This may take a while.
This message comes from the end-to-end encryption feature in WhatsApp. If the people you are chatting with are offline and WhatsApp cannot encrypt the message, you will not be able to see the messages on your smartphone until the sender is online.
The easiest way to fix this is to call or send a text to the sender and ask him to verify your Internet connectivity and open the WhatsApp application again.
2. Can not connect to WhatsApp
This usually happens when Internet connectivity is too bad or not available on your device. Make sure your mobile or Wi-Fi data is working with other apps and browsers. Connect your device to a different Wi-Fi network to diagnose the problem.
3. Can not get a verification code
If you do not receive a WhatsApp verification SMS on your smartphone, it means the problem is on your mobile network. You can solve this problem by clicking the “Connect Me” button on the WhatsApp verification screen.
4. You can not send and receive messages
If you can not send and receive messages from all contacts, then there is something wrong with your Internet connection. If you can not send and receive messages from specific contacts, it means that you are blocked or that you blocked the contact.
5. Contacts are not appearing in WhatsApp
First and foremost, be sure to allow WhatsApp to access your contacts. In Android 6.0 and higher, go to Settings (Android)> Apps & Notifications> WhatsApp> Permissions> Contacts.
On the iPhone, go to Settings> Privacy> Contacts> Whatsapp. If that does not work, try refreshing your contact list by using the ‘Refresh’ button.
6. You are temporarily banned from WhatsApp
There are several reasons why the instant messenger will temporarily prohibit you from using the app.
Please wait 72 hours to find out if your account has been banned. I know this happened, you need to sign up again with a new number.
7. Unfortunately, WhatsApp has stopped.
On Android, when an application stops or hangs, you will see an error message: “Unfortunately, <App Name> has stopped.” This is not a problem restricted to WhatsApp and can happen with several other apps on Android. Here’s how to solve this:
1. Clear app and cache data: Android Settings> Applications> All> WhatsApp> Storage> Clear Storage and Clear Cache> Restart WhatsApp;
2. If your WhatsApp is installed on the Memory Card, migrate it to Android’s internal memory: Settings> Applications> Downloaded> WhatsApp> Move to phone;
3. Restart Android;
8. Sorry, this media file does not exist on your device
When you receive a media file in WhatsApp, it is stored on your device. This means that the media file will also be visible in the gallery application and in the file manager.
If you delete the media file through an application, the media file will appear blurred in WhatsApp messages, and you will not be able to see the image or video. The only solution is to ask your contact to send the file again.
9. The date of your phone is incorrect
The message “Your phone’s date is incorrect! Set the clock and try again. “? This means that the date settings on your smartphone are incorrect.
Go to Settings> System> Time and Date> Turn off automatic date and time and automatic time zone.
Manually set the time and time zone. If that does not work, reinstall or update your WhatsApp.
10. Whatsapp is not installed
On Android, when you install an app outside of Google Play, you’re likely to receive an “App Not Installed” error message. This is because the app is not compatible with your device. Install the app (in this case WhatsApp) directly from Google Play to fix the problem.
11. Can not upload or download media files
You can not upload movies or large videos to WhatsApp because there is a limit on sending larger files.
If you can not download media files, make sure there is enough storage space on the device, clean old photos and videos received in the application, go to Whatsapp settings> Data & storage> Storage usage> select a contact> Manage messages & clean up media files.
12. Can not receive messages
First and foremost, make sure your Internet connectivity is working, or if it is not. Finally, make sure your smartphone’s performance is not slow.
13. Error -24 When Installing WhatsApp
To fix this, simply access ‘android/data/com.whatsapp’ using a file manager, and remove the folder, reinstall the WhatsApp application on Google Play or use the APK.
14. Insufficient space on the device
This means that there is no space in the internal storage for the WhatsApp operation. Delete large media files (for example, videos, movies, etc.) from your device, or move them to your computer.
On Android, clear the device cache under Settings> Storage> Free up space.
If you need help, have doubts or concerns, do not hesitate to leave a comment in the comment box below and we will try to help you as soon as possible!