5 Ways to Fix Waiting for This Message Error on WhatsApp

Sodiq has written thousands of tutorials, guides, and explainers over the past 3 years to help people solve problems relating to Android, iOS, and Windows devices. He also enjoys reviewing consumer tech products (smartphones, smart home devices, etc.) and previously worked with GearBest in that capacity.

Supreeth is passionate about technology and dedicates himself to helping people figure it out. An engineer by education, his understanding of the inner workings of all types of gadgets and devices ensures he provides top-notch guidance, tips, and recommendations to his readers. When away from the desk, you will find him traveling, playing FIFA, or hunting for a good movie.

Why Do I See the ‘Waiting for This Message’ Error?

When you (uninstall) and reinstall WhatsApp on your device, new messages you receive from people will most likely be hidden under a “Waiting for this message. This may take a while.” placeholder.

This happens because the messages have beenencryptedby the user. So, WhatsApp must generate a new private key on your app before you can decrypt the content of the text. For that to happen, both the sender and receiver must be online.

You’d also most likely encounter this error when you change your smartphone or move your WhatsApp account from one device to another.

It works both ways, too. If you did not reinstall WhatsApp or get a new device, but the message sender did, you might encounter this error.

Fix 1: Wait It Out

You would typically have to wait for the sender to come back online before WhatsApp generates a private key that can be used to encrypt and decrypt the message on both devices properly. All these happen in the background, and you don’t have to do anything.

Fix 2: Ask the Sender to Come Online

If you are in a hurry or the text is urgent and time-sensitive, you can contact the sender via phone call, email, or SMS. As soon as the sender is back online, the message appears immediately.

Note:The sender doesn’t have to resend the message(s).

Fix 3: Wait for WhatsApp to Sync

If you open WhatsApp web or link a device to your WhatsApp account, wait for it to load all your conversations. Once all messages and media in your chat load up, you probably won’t see the “Waiting for Message” error.

Also Read:How to fix WhatsApp stuck on restoring media

Fix 4: Update WhatsApp to the Latest Version

It is essential to install the latest version of WhatsApp on youriPhoneorAndroiddevice. This ensures all the latest security features and patches are installed. It will also help WhatsApp generate private keys for encryption and decryption easily.

Fix 5: Backup and Restore WhatsApp

We recommend using the below method as a last resort. It involves manually resorting to the message(s) by backing up your WhatsApp messages, uninstalling and reinstalling WhatsApp, and finally restoring the backup.

In theWhatsAppsettings, go toChats>Chat Backupand back up your chats. Ensure you choose a cloud backup option likeGoogle DriveoriCloud.

Once the backup is complete, uninstallWhatsApp, reinstall the app, and restore the backup.

Also Read:How to fix WhatsApp couldn’t complete backup error

Was this helpful?

Last updated on 14 May, 2024

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Your email address will not be published.Required fields are marked*

Name*

Email*

Comment*

Δ

The article above may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. The content remains unbiased and authentic and will never affect our editorial integrity.

More in Internet and Social

Pinterest Pin vs Board: Know the Difference

Teams: Disable All Chat Notifications During Meetings

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER

Get Guiding Tech articles delivered to your inbox.

© 2024 Guiding Tech Media. All Rights Reserved.