To troubleshoot one check on WhatsApp, ask the recipient to reconnect and open WhatsApp, then send a short text to another contact to check whether delivery works elsewhere. One gray check means your message was sent, while two gray checks mean it reached the recipient’s phone or a linked device. Changes on your phone cannot force delivery to someone whose devices are unavailable.
Start with the affected contact and the type of conversation before changing app settings. Connection and background activity fixes matter most on the receiving device when your messages deliver normally to other people.
The short version
- Check the recipient: Ask them to restore internet access and open WhatsApp.
- Compare contacts: Send another person a small text to distinguish a contact issue from a broader problem.
- Check the conversation: Group messages need everyone to receive them, and broadcast recipients must save your number.
- Fix connectivity first: Test another network and check the affected device’s data and background settings.
- Save disruptive fixes: Reinstall only after confirming a usable chat backup.
| Check or fix | When to use it | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Recipient availability | Only one contact is affected | Ask them to reconnect and confirm their number |
| Accidental block | The recipient confirms they blocked you | Ask them to unblock you, then send a new message |
| Group delivery details | A group message has one check | Inspect who has received it |
| Broadcast address book | Broadcast delivery fails | Ask recipients to save your number |
| Internet connection | Other internet apps also fail | Reconnect or test another network |
| Cellular access | Delivery fails on mobile data | Enable data and select a working SIM |
| Background restrictions | Delivery resumes when WhatsApp opens | Check the receiving phone’s restrictions |
| App reopening | WhatsApp is unresponsive | Close it and immediately reopen it |
| Phone restart | Reopening the app does not help | Restart the affected phone |
| App update | WhatsApp continues to malfunction | Install an available update |
| Galaxy cache clearing | App problems persist on Galaxy | Use Clear cache, then reopen WhatsApp |
| Linked session troubleshooting | Only Web or Desktop is affected | Compare the primary phone, reconnect, or relink |
| Network reset | Connection failures survive simpler fixes | Reset the affected connection |
| App reinstallation | App failures persist | Confirm a usable backup before removing WhatsApp |
| Support | Delivery still fails after relevant checks | Report affected contacts, devices, and connection results |
Check the recipient before changing your phone
Send a short text to another available contact and watch its delivery checks. If that message gets two gray checks, focus on the original recipient. Ask through another available communication channel whether their device is powered on, has internet access, and can open WhatsApp.
Confirm whether they changed their number or deleted their account. If they changed numbers, start a new chat with their confirmed current number. If their devices are offline, wait for them to reconnect.
A recipient’s block is another possibility, but one check alone does not establish that they blocked you. If they confirm an accidental block, they must remove it themselves. On iPhone, they can open your conversation, tap your name or number, then tap Unblock for your contact.
After they confirm that you are unblocked, send a new message. WhatsApp says messages sent during the blocked period are not received retroactively. Reinstalling your app will not deliver those earlier messages.
Check group and broadcast delivery rules
A group message gets its second gray check only after everyone receives it. On Android, open the group chat, touch and hold your outgoing message, then tap the information icon. Alternatively, select More options > Info, then inspect Delivered to see delivery details.
For a broadcast, ask affected recipients to save your phone number in their phone’s address book, then send another broadcast. Ordinary individual messages do not require the recipient to save your number. Broadcast lists are not supported on Web, Mac, or Windows.
Restore the affected device’s internet connection
Open a website and another app that needs internet access on the affected device. Ask the recipient to do the same when only messages to them are delayed. If both tests fail, restore internet access before changing WhatsApp settings.
Turn Airplane Mode on and off through iPhone Settings, or use Android’s Airplane mode quick settings tile. Next, turn Wi-Fi off and test working mobile data, or connect to another Wi-Fi network or hotspot. Move somewhere with better reception; you can also fix a weak Wi-Fi signal when your wireless connection is unreliable.
Public Wi-Fi can require a sign-in before internet access works. Open the network’s sign-in notification or a browser page and accept its terms. If home Wi-Fi fails across devices, unplug the router and modem for 15 seconds, reconnect power, and wait for normal operation.
On iPhone, open Settings > Cellular, enable Cellular Data, then scroll to the app list and enable WhatsApp. For multiple SIMs, select a working line under Cellular > Cellular Data. Some regions label this menu Mobile Data.
On Pixel, open Settings > Network & internet > SIMs and enable Mobile data. With multiple SIMs, choose the working line under Your primary SIMs > Mobile data. Check your remaining carrier allowance if cellular service still fails.
Allow WhatsApp to receive messages in the background
If delivery resumes when the recipient opens WhatsApp, check restrictions on their phone. Keep changes specific to WhatsApp where an app exception is available. Recheck delivery after each change.
On Pixel, open Settings > Network & internet > Data Saver > Unrestricted data and enable WhatsApp. Then open Settings > Battery > Battery usage > View by apps > WhatsApp > Allow background usage and enable background use. Turn off the Battery Saver quick settings tile while checking delivery.
On Samsung Galaxy, open Settings > Battery > Background usage limits. In Sleeping apps or Deep sleeping apps, select More options > Remove, choose WhatsApp, then tap Remove. To add an exception, open Never auto sleeping apps, tap +, select WhatsApp, then tap Add. Samsung screens vary by model and software.
On iPhone, open Settings > General > Background App Refresh > Background App Refresh and select Wi-Fi & Cellular Data. Return to the app list and enable WhatsApp. On iPhone 15 and later, turn off Low Power Mode under Settings > Battery > Power Mode; earlier models place it directly under Battery.
Reopen and update a malfunctioning app
Use app troubleshooting when WhatsApp is unresponsive or delivery problems extend beyond one unavailable recipient. On Pixel, open Settings > Apps > See all apps > WhatsApp > Force stop > OK. Immediately reopen WhatsApp so you do not leave it stopped.
For an unresponsive iPhone app on a Face ID model, swipe up from the bottom and pause, then swipe WhatsApp’s preview upward and reopen it. On Home-button models, double-click Home to reach the previews, swipe WhatsApp’s preview upward, then reopen it. Apple recommends closing apps only when they are unresponsive.
Restart the phone if reopening does not help. On iPhone X and later, hold either Volume button with the Side button, drag the power-off slider, wait 30 seconds, then hold Side until the Apple logo appears. On Pixel 6 and later, hold Power + Volume up for a few seconds, then tap Restart.
Update Android WhatsApp by opening Google Play Store, finding WhatsApp Messenger, and tapping Update when an update is available. On iPhone, open WhatsApp’s App Store listing and tap Update. If calls also fail, use the steps to fix WhatsApp video calling problems for that additional symptom.
On Galaxy, open Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Storage > Clear cache, then reopen WhatsApp. Clear data is a different control and can erase local chats. Do not use it as a substitute for clearing the cache.
Check WhatsApp Web or Desktop separately
Open the conversation on the primary phone used to register your account and compare its status with the linked device. In WhatsApp Web, inspect any Computer not connected warning, test the computer’s internet access, then click the browser’s Reload button. Linked devices connect independently and can work while the primary phone is off.
Try another already-installed current browser, such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, or Safari, and link your account there. If only one linked session malfunctions, use the Android primary phone’s More options > Linked devices, select that device, then tap Log out. Link the account again afterward.
On Web or Windows, select Link with phone number or Log in with phone number, choose your country, enter your number, then select Next. On the primary phone, open Linked devices > Link a device > Link with phone number instead. Authenticate and enter the eight-character code.
Use resets and reinstallation only for persistent failures
Reserve network resets for ongoing connection failures after simpler fixes. On Pixel, open Settings > System > Reset options > Reset Bluetooth & Wi-Fi > Reset settings, then reconnect. For cellular problems, use Reset Mobile Network Settings in the same reset menu and complete the prompts.
On iPhone, open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This removes saved Wi-Fi passwords and resets cellular, VPN, and APN settings. Contact your carrier for persistent cellular failures or to check service and APN configuration.
Before reinstalling WhatsApp, confirm that you have a usable chat backup because removal can erase local app data. On Android, open WhatsApp’s More options > Settings > Chats > Chat backup > Back up and confirm success. On iPhone, verify a usable WhatsApp chat backup before deleting the app.
On Android, open Google Play Store, tap your Profile icon > Manage apps & devices > Manage, select WhatsApp, then tap Uninstall. On iPhone, hold the WhatsApp icon, then choose Remove App > Delete App > Delete. Get the appropriate replacement from the official WhatsApp download page.
Reinstall the official app, register the same number, and follow the restoration prompts. Reinstallation addresses app failures, but it cannot make an offline recipient receive your message. If delivery still fails with working connections, contact support.
Contact support with the delivery details
Open WhatsApp Settings > Help, then find the Contact Us option. Explain which recipients and devices are affected and which connection tests succeeded. Distinguish a single-contact delay from a problem affecting every conversation.
To show the check mark or a connection warning, take a screenshot on your device without including unrelated conversations. If in-app support does not work, complete the WhatsApp Messenger contact form with your account and problem information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can turning off read receipts leave a message on one check?
Read receipts affect blue checks, not the second gray delivery check. Turning them on is not a fix for a message stuck on one gray check.
Is a clock beside a message the same as one check?
A clock means the message has not been sent. One gray check means it was sent, so a clock calls for checking your own connection first.
What should you do about Waiting for this message?
Have both people open WhatsApp while online and update both apps. Ask the sender to resend or switch to the primary phone. That encryption-waiting notice is a separate symptom from an outgoing message with one check.
Can Extreme Battery Saver pause WhatsApp on Pixel?
Yes, you can exempt WhatsApp under Settings > Battery > Battery Saver > Extreme Battery Saver > Essential apps. Select WhatsApp there, or tap the paused app and choose Unpause temporarily for temporary access.
Can WhatsApp filter messages from unknown senders?
The Block unknown account messages feature can filter messages during high-volume incoming traffic. Wait until incoming message rates return to normal. Saved contacts can still message the recipient during that filtering period.
Why did a linked device disconnect after you stopped using your phone?
Linked devices disconnect if the primary phone is unused for more than 14 days. Open WhatsApp on that phone and link the affected device again.