Since 12:00 am on January 19, 2020 WhatsApp is not working and does not allow sending images, voice notes and videos. Here's what's happening
WhatsApp won't allow you to send voice notes, images, emoji and any kind of multimedia content. As of 12:00 a.m. on January 19, 2020 WhatsApp is not working properly: some features of the messaging app are not responding to users' commands. The problem mainly concerns images, voice notes and emoji, while there are no inefficiencies with regard to text messages, which continue to work quietly.
The problem seems to concern mainly Italy and Europe: on downdetctor.com, a platform used by users to find answers when a service or an app does not work, there are already hundreds of reports. Reading the comments, the malfunction is the same for everyone: you can't send images, voice notes, videos and emoji. For the moment, the down seems to only affect WhatsApp and not the other Facebook apps. We don't know why WhatsApp isn't working, but most likely the application's servers are to blame. We will continue to monitor the situation and in the coming hours we will surely know more.
Why WhatsApp does not let you send voice notes and images
This is not the first time that the messaging application has this kind of problem, already in the past has had downs that have lasted a couple of hours that have not allowed the use of multimedia content. From the first research done by our editorial staff, however, the problem doesn't seem to affect everyone. We tried to send a voice note with a Huawei smartphone and an iPhone and it was received, while with a Xiaomi smartphone and OnePlus the message was not delivered.
This is a rather unusual problem and at this point the problem could depend on the version of WhatsApp present on the smartphone. But for the moment we don't have any element to be sure. In the next few hours we will definitely know more.
Update 1pm. An hour after the start of the WhatsApp down, the situation does not seem to have improved. The most likely cause remains a bug in WhatsApp version 2.19.360. To check which version of the app is installed on your smartphone you have to enter the app, press on Settings, then on Help and finally on App Info. A screen will open with the neuro of the version of WhatsApp installed on your smartphone.
Update 2pm. The situation is slightly improved. Some smartphones can now send and receive voice notes and images. But the situation is not yet completely resolved, surely WhatsApp technicians are working to fix the disruption.
Update 2:30 pm. The problem seems to be completely solved. WhatsApp works correctly on most smartphones.