WhatsApp has revolutionized the way we connect and communicate with others, but its app is often greyed out on your phone, leaving you wondering why this is happening.
If WhatsApp is greyed out on your phone, you may not have granted all the permissions to the app. To fix this, access the app through settings and grant all the necessary permissions. If you use WhatsApp on your iPhone, you may have activated “Screen Time Limit” on the app. So, try disabling this feature on your iPhone.
In this comprehensive article, we’ll explore why WhatsApp is greyed out on your phone and what steps you can take to resolve this problem as quickly as possible.
Why is my WhatsApp greyed out?
One of the following might be the reason why WhatsApp is greyed out on your phone:
- Active screen time limit on WhatsApp.
- Permissions are not granted to WhatsApp on your phone.
- The recipient has not received or seen the WhatsApp message yet.
- Outdated WhatsApp application or phone software.
- Corrupt WhatsApp cache or installation files.
- Minor glitches on WhatsApp.
How do I fix WhatsApp greyed out?
If you want to turn WhatsApp back to normal from greyed-out mode, try these simple and easy solutions that have helped many users resolve this issue in no time.
Force Stop WhatsApp
Sometimes, force-stopping WhatsApp works like a charm and resolves any minor glitches that cause the app to grey out. Here’s how:
Android:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “Apps”
- Tap “All Apps.”
- Select “WhatsApp.”
- Choose “Force Stop.”
iPhone:
- Swipe up on the Home screen of your iPhone to access Recent Apps.
- Scroll right to find “WhatsApp.”
- Swipe up on the WhatsApp preview card to force stop the app.
Now, check the WhatsApp icon and see if the icon has turned normal. If yes, restart your phone to clear out any temporary bugs that are leading to this issue.
Grant Permissions to WhatsApp
It might be possible that you’ve not granted the necessary permission to WhatsApp on your phone. Therefore, the app cannot perform properly, and its icon turns grey.
To fix this, provide all the necessary permission to WhatsApp by following the below instructions:
Android:
- Open the “Settings” app.
- Select “Apps.”
- Choose “All Apps.”
- Tap “WhatsApp.”
- Choose “Permissions.”
- Set all the permissions, i.e., Contacts, Camera, Microphone, and others to allow.
iPhone:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “WhatsApp.”
- Toggle on all the available permissions required for WhatsApp.
After you grant all access to WhatsApp, check its icon and see if the problem recurs.
Disable Screen Time Limit
iPhones come with a screen time feature that lets you set a specific limit for using certain apps, including WhatsApp. However, when this time limit is exceeded, the app icon turns grey, which prevents you from accessing it.
So, try disabling the screen time limit for WhatsApp on your iPhone with these steps:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “Screen Time.”
- Tap “App Limits.”
- Select “WhatsApp.”
- Tap “Delete Limit.”
After doing so, go back to your iPhone Home screen or App Library, check the WhatsApp icon, and verify the fix.
Wait for the Recipient to Read Messages
When you send a message to someone on WhatsApp and the read status is greyed out, it means that the recipient is either offline or has not checked their chats yet.
Therefore, wait for the recipient to read your messages, and the status will automatically turn blue.
NOTE: WhatsApp also offers privacy settings that allow you to stop sending or receiving Read receipts for individual chats. So, when you or the other person turn off the Read receipts on the WhatsApp account, the status stays greyed out.
Clear WhatsApp Cache
The corrupt WhatsApp cache prevents the app from retrieving necessary files, and, as a result, you may see its icon greyed out.
The best solution here is to clear the WhatsApp cache on your phone with the steps given below:
Android:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “Apps.”
- Tap “All Apps.”
- Select “WhatsApp.”
- Choose “Storage.”
- Tap “Clear Cache.”
iPhone:
- Open “WhatsApp.”
- Choose “General.”
- Tap “iPhone Storage.”
- Tap “WhatsApp.”
- Select “Offload App.”
- Tap “Offload App” again.
Once you clear the cache data, check WhatsApp and the issue should be resolved now.
Update WhatsApp
WhatsApp constantly tests and releases updates to improve the app’s performance and features. So, it might be possible that the developers are testing the dark or night mode, due to which its icon is greyed out.
So wait for some time, and the WhatsApp icon may turn back to normal again. In the meantime, keep WhatsApp up-to-date by following these instructions:
- Open “Play Store” / “App Store.”
- Search for “WhatsApp.”
- Tap “Update.”
Afterward, check the WhatsApp icons and see if it’s still greyed out.
NOTE: An outdated version often causes WhatsApp to keep scrolling up.
Reinstall WhatsApp
Some users report that reinstalling WhatsApp on their phones also helped them resolve the greying out issue on the app. Here’s how:
Android:
- Open “Settings.”
- Go to “Apps.”
- Tap“All Apps.”
- Choose “WhatsApp.”
- Select “Uninstall.”
- Tap “OK.”
- Open “Play Store.”
- Locate “WhatsApp”
- Choose “Install.”
iPhone:
- Access “Settings.”
- Choose “General.”
- Choose “iPhone Storage.”
- Tap “WhatsApp.”
- Select “Delete App.”
- Select “Delete App” again.
- Open “App Store.”
- Search for “WhatsApp.”
- Tap “GET.”
Hopefully, WhatsApp will turn back to normal!
NOTE: Make sure your WhatsApp account is fully backed up before uninstalling it. Otherwise, you’ll lose all your chats, media files, and groups.
Update Phone Software
Another solution to fix the greying-out issue on WhatsApp is to update your phone software to the latest version. This will resolve any compatibility issues between the app and your phone. Here’s how:
Android:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “Software Update.”
- Tap “Download and Install.”
- Let your phone search for updates to download.
- Select “Install Now.”
iPhone:
- Open “Settings.”
- Select “General.”
- Tap “Software Update.”
- Tap “Download and Install.”
- Enter your passcode.
- Select “Install Now” or “Update Now.”
If updating your phone does not help and WhatsApp is still greyed out, back up your Android or iPhone and reset it to the default settings to clear out any system glitches.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve explained why WhatsApp is greyed out on your phone and how you can troubleshoot this problem without too much effort.
In case the issue still bothers you, contact the WhatsApp Support team and discuss it with them. They may provide you with a more definitive fix to turn the app icon back to normal.
