How to fix WhatsApp not working

As one of the most popular messaging apps on the planet, WhatsApp not working is understandably something you don’t want to deal with for long. Below are several tips that should help get the app working again in no time.

Why Isn’t WhatsApp Working?

The problem could lie with your app, your device, your network, or WhatsApp’s service. Here are some specific things that could be happening:

WhatsApp is having a wider problem that affects more than just your app
You’re not properly connected to the internet
Your device is having trouble fully utilizing the app
Your app’s cache is corrupted in some way
You or the contact have been blocked from communicating
An app setting is preventing photos, videos, or messages from sticking around
Permissions have been denied that are necessary for some things to work
Your inactive account was deleted

How to fix WhatsApp not working

Walk through these steps in the order they’re presented to address the simpler and more likely solutions first.

Check if WhatsApp is down. If they’re experiencing issues on their end, there’s nothing you can do but wait for the problem to be fixed. (Note: Be sure to complete this step first so you’re not wasting your time on a problem that isn’t yours to fix!)
Close the app, and then reopen it. This is the easiest solution that will work in some cases if it’s just a temporary problem.
Turn on Wi-Fi or turn on mobile data. You need a valid internet connection to properly use WhatsApp.
Turn your whole device off and then back on again. The process of restarting your device depends on your platform
Set up WhatsApp Web again to reestablish that connection if the problem seems to present only when you’re using the app through your desktop browser.
Clear the cache. If there are too many temporary files or corrupted data in the cache, it could interfere with the app’s proper functionality, such as causing it to crash upon opening.
Update WhatsApp to the latest version through your phone’s app store. If an app bug is causing a widespread issue, it’ll no doubt be fixed quickly.
Check app permissions. You need to give WhatsApp permission to access things like your contacts, photos, mic, etc., otherwise, those things won’t work.
See if you’ve been blocked on WhatsApp. It might be “broken” in the sense you can’t communicate with select people, but the reality could be they’ve added you to their blocked contacts list.
Unmute the contact if WhatsApp isn’t making noise. There’s an option to mute notifications for specific contacts. If you’ve done this, you won’t hear or see alerts about the person/people you’ve muted. Unmuting is easy and will fix the problem immediately.
Troubleshoot missing WhatsApp media files if images and videos aren’t showing up. This might happen if a certain media visibility setting is turned off or if media files aren’t set up to automatically download.
Turn off WhatsApp disappearing messages if you find that chats are disappearing after a day or so. This isn’t a fault of the app, but instead a legitimate privacy setting that you might prefer to turn off.
Reinstall the app. Removing all of WhatsApp from your phone or computer will let you start fresh with a brand-new installation. This will fix the issue if the fault lies somewhere in the app’s installation.
Make a new account. If you were unable to complete most of the steps above, it could be because your account was deleted. WhatsApp might do if you’ve been inactive for at least 120 days.

Source: lifewire