7 Best Fixes for Links Not Opening in WhatsApp on iPhone and Android

Whenever you download a document from the web on your iPhone or Android, you can share it with your contacts using WhatsApp. However, you can also share the web link—for example, a Google Drive link or a WeTransfer link to open a collection of files with your contacts.

If links are not opening in WhatsApp, here are the solutions to help you fix this issue in WhatsApp on your iPhone or Android.

1. Check if the Link Is Correct and Working

If the links you shared with your contact are not working, you should check whether the link is correct. You might have to generate the shareable link again for a few websites. We suggest doing that and opening it in a separate browser tab to check if it works.

2. Check if External Link Permission Is Enabled (Android)

If you can’t open any links shared with you in WhatsApp on your Android, you need to check if access to opening external links is enabled for the app. Here’s how.

Step 1: Long-press the WhatsApp app icon and tap on App Info.

Step 2: Tap on Open By Default.

Step 3: Tap the toggle next to ‘Open Supported Links’ to enable the feature.

Step 4: Close App Info and open WhatsApp to check if the problem is solved.

3. Switch to 5G or Wi-Fi

If WhatsApp is still not opening links on your iPhone or Android, we suggest switching to a Wi-Fi network. If you are outdoors and your device model has the support, you can switch to 5G on your iPhone and Android. Sometimes external links take longer than usual to open. This is mainly caused due to lack of good internet connectivity. You can also read our post if 5G is not working on your iPhone or Android.

4. Force Quit and Relaunch WhatsApp

You can try to force quit and relaunch WhatsApp on your iPhone or Android to give the app a fresh start. This is another simple yet effective way to solve the issue of links not opening in WhatsApp.

On iPhone

Step 1: On the home screen of your iPhone, swipe up and hold to reveal the background app windows.

Step 2: Swipe right to look for WhatsApp. Then swipe up to remove the app.

Step 3: Open WhatsApp again to check if the problem is solved.

On Android

Step 1: Long-press the WhatsApp app icon and tap on App Info.

Step 2: Tap on Force Stop.

Step 3: Select Ok to confirm.

Step 4: Close App Info and launch WhatsApp again to check if the problem is solved.

5. Disable Low Power Mode

If you have a low battery and have switched on the Low Power Mode or Battery Saver, we suggest disabling it for a while and checking if the problem is solved.

On iPhone

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

Step 2: Scroll down and tap on Battery.

Step 3: Tap the toggle next to Low Power Mode to disable it.

Step 4: Close Settings and open WhatsApp to check if the problem is solved.

On Android

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your Android phone.

Step 2: Tap on Battery.

Step 3: Select Battery Saver.

Step 4: Tap the toggle next to Use Battery Saver to disable the feature.

Step 5: Close Settings and open WhatsApp to check if the problem is solved.

6. Clear WhatsApp Cache

To improve overall usage and performance, WhatsApp collects the Cache data over a while on your iPhone and Android. However, the Cache data can get corrupted, which leads to issues like links not opening in WhatsApp. We suggest clearing WhatsApp Cache and checking if this solves the issue. You can read our post to learn how to clear WhatsApp Cache on your iPhone or Android.

7. Update WhatsApp

If none of the solutions work, updating the WhatsApp app version is your last resort. You can update WhatsApp on your iPhone or Android using the following links.

Update WhatsApp on Android

Update WhatsApp on iPhone

Open Links On WhatsApp

These solutions will help you solve the issue of links not opening in WhatsApp on iPhone and Android. You can also read our post if your WhatsApp Status is not showing for all contacts.