Due to rapid releases of new features in WhatsApp (such as the recent new video call and GIF features), the update server has been constantly flooded by enormous amount of download requests from billions of users from all around the world. Here’s how to update WhatsApp new version on Android without Google Play Store.
Be noted that WhatsApp Web doesn’t need any updating on your side as it’s a server side job to keep it updated for you. As for WhatsApp for PC, you will still have to download the new version of WhatsApp for PC if there is an update for it. Further guides are listed below.
How to Update WhatsApp on Android
If you are here looking to just update your WhatsApp on Android regardless of method, the best and easiest method is still updating it via Google Play Store.
Here’s a simple step-by-step instruction on how to update WhatsApp on Android through Play Store.
- On your Android, open Google Play Store.
- Search for WhatsApp, or alternatively look for WhatsApp from Option > My Apps and Games.
- Tap on Update, then Accept when asked for permission, to start the installation.
This method is only applicable for Android devices which rely on Google Play Store as their primary app installer such as Samsung Galaxies, Xiaomi, Redmi, Huawei, Lenovo, Sony and HTC phones. Android which uses Amazon Appstore as its primary and default installer will have to update WhatsApp through Amazon itself.
How to Update WhatsApp on Android without Play Store
So, for those of you who have problems with Google Play Store, whether you were facing errors during update, can’t access to Google Play, or that you just can’t bear the update speed being too slow, you can install updates of WhatsApp externally on your Android device by directly downloading and installing its APK installer.
Before we begin, if this is your first time trying to install something using apk externally, we suggest you to make a backup of your WhatsApp data, or if possible your entire device just in case if anything goes wrong. So, here’s how to update WhatsApp on Android without Google Play by using apk installer:
- On your Android phones, go to apkmirror.com and search for WhatsApp.
- Select the latest version of WhatsApp without the word beta at the end. Only install beta if you decided to use WhatsApp beta instead.
- Upon reaching to the download page, you will be asked if you are using ARM, ARM64 or x86 device. These are the processor architectures of smartphones and you will have to check yourself which architecture your device belongs to. For most common smartphones, you can safely choose ARM. If it doesn’t work, come back again and try x86.
- After downloaded the WhatsApp apk file on your phone, tap on it to run it. If you device doesn’t show you where exactly the apk file is stored, it’s usually in Phone storage > Download, or DCIM > Download, which can be accessed from an explorer app.
- When you run the installer for the first time (or if it shows install blocked error), you will be ask to enable the Unknown Source setting to allow installation of apps from sources other than Play Store. Press OK to temporary enable it. If your device needs you to enable it manually, it can be found from the Setting app > Additional settings / More > Developer options.
- That’s it. The installation will begin and it should take a couple of seconds to complete.
How to Update WhatsApp via PC
If you are to download the WhatsApp apk file on your PC computer or Mac, you will have to transfer the apk installer to the phone by either copy pasting or syncing it into your phone storage folder. Run the apk installer on your phone and continue from step 4 above.
Alternatively, you can download WhatsApp for PC from www.whatsapp.com/download. This is not related to the WhatsApp on your phone. It’s a complete standalone WhatsApp.exe that can be run directly from your PC as an executable software with the ability to share the same account on both your PC and your phone. Whenever there is a new update, you will still have to download the new version from the link given above.
The method to install via apk installer should always be the last resolution and not a recommended method to install or update any app on your android phone as this would risk your phone getting infected by who knows what kind of viruses or malwares from the place where you download the apk from.
So, be sure to only download apk from famous apk sites such as apkmirror.com as their apk are unmodified and genuinely downloaded from Google servers, which also means you can update the app via Google Play later on without worrying about their compatibility.
This method about installing WhatsApp apk on Android is also applicable to any other app when you want to install the app without having to go through Google Play. But, be aware of fake apk installers or apk that doesn’t even exist in Google Play in the first place, especially if they are from websites outside of the well known ones.
