It means WhatsApp hasn't been able to show that message on your device yet. WhatsApp says end-to-end encryption can make a message wait, and it lists four causes: a failed delivery, a recent reinstall, an out-of-date version, or a new phone on the same number, so get online together, update, and ask the sender to resend.
Two wordings, and where each one shows up
WhatsApp has two separate help pages for this, because there are two versions of the wording, and where you see yours tells you a lot about what's going on.
| Wording | Where you usually see it | What WhatsApp says to try |
|---|---|---|
| Waiting for this message. This may take a while. | In place of an incoming message | Get online with the sender, check your connection, update, ask for a resend, switch to your primary phone, relink a linked device |
| Waiting for this message. Check your phone. | On a linked device such as a computer or tablet, in place of a message you sent or received | Check your phone, ask the other person to open WhatsApp on their phone, make sure you're both on the latest version |
The second one is usually the easier case. WhatsApp says that because of end-to-end encryption you might need to wait for the message to arrive on the linked device, and its first suggestion is to check your phone for it. The first wording is about the message reaching you at all, which is why its list of fixes is longer.
Why encryption makes a message wait
One line of background: WhatsApp says encryption and decryption happen entirely on your device, and the keys change with every message. If you want the full picture, I've explained what end-to-end encryption means on WhatsApp elsewhere.
That's why this isn't something a server can just push through. WhatsApp's wording is that only you and the person you're talking to can read, listen to or share what's sent between you. When something has changed on one side, the message can sit there waiting until both ends line up again.
WhatsApp lists four causes for the longer wording:
- The message failed to deliver.
- You or the sender recently reinstalled WhatsApp.
- You or the sender aren't using the latest version of WhatsApp.
- You replaced your primary phone and installed WhatsApp on a new device with the same number.
Notice that three of the four can sit on the sender's side. That's the bit most people miss. You can do everything right on your own phone and still need the other person to open WhatsApp, update it or send the message again. For the linked-device wording, WhatsApp names the same pair of reasons: a recent reinstall or an older version, on either side.
The six fixes, in the order WhatsApp lists them
- Get online at the same time. Ask the sender to open WhatsApp and make sure you're both online together. Message them another way if you need to, so they know to do it.
- Check your connection. Try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data, or move somewhere with a better signal. WhatsApp says poor internet is the most common reason people have trouble sending and receiving.
- Update WhatsApp, both of you. WhatsApp says you and the sender both need the latest version, so updating only your phone may not be enough.
- Ask the sender to resend. If the message failed to deliver, the fix is on their side: they send it again.
- Switch to your primary phone. That's the iPhone or Android phone you used to register your account. If you're reading on a tablet or computer, look there instead.
- Unlink and relink. If it's a linked device showing the message, log it out and link it again.
I'd work through them in that order. The first four cost nothing and line up with the causes WhatsApp lists, and the last two only apply if more than one device is involved.
If it's a computer or tablet showing it
Linked devices have their own rules. As of Nov 2026, WhatsApp says you can link up to four devices to your primary phone, including Windows, Mac, Web, Android tablets, iPads and companion phones, but you still need the primary phone to register and to link new ones.
The note WhatsApp adds to this exact error: you need to log in to your primary phone every 14 days to keep linked devices connected to your account. So a tablet that's gone two weeks without the phone being opened is the first thing I'd suspect. Limits, logouts and the rest are in my guide to WhatsApp linked devices.
To relink, WhatsApp's steps on Android are: on your primary phone, tap the three dots, then Linked devices, pick the device and tap Log out. You can also log out on the linked device itself, under Settings, then Log out. Then, back on the phone, tap Linked devices, then Link a device, verify your identity if asked, and scan the QR code shown on the other device.
Two things to expect after you relink. WhatsApp says your phone sends an end-to-end encrypted copy of recent message history to the new device, which can take a few minutes, and not every chat syncs. WhatsApp Desktop syncs more history than WhatsApp Web, and to see everything you check your phone. WhatsApp also notes a known issue where some linked devices don't show up to one year of chat history, while your history stays safe on the primary phone.
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If it's WhatsApp Web, the connection fixes WhatsApp suggests are to refresh the page, clear your browser's cache and cookies, log out and back in, restart the device, or try a different Wi-Fi network or a hotspot, since office and campus Wi-Fi can cause problems. It says Web works on current Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera or Safari, and not on older browsers such as Internet Explorer.
What the message doesn't mean
It's easy to read the worst into a message you can't see. WhatsApp's list of causes doesn't include being blocked, being banned or the sender deleting the message. Every cause it gives is about delivery, reinstalls, app versions or device changes. That doesn't tell you what's happening in your particular chat, but it's where WhatsApp points you to look first.
The other thing WhatsApp doesn't give is a time limit. Neither help page says how long the wait lasts, so I won't guess at one. If the fixes don't shift it, the sender resending is your most direct route. And if nothing's arriving at all, from anyone, that's a wider problem, covered in WhatsApp not receiving messages.
My verdict on the waiting message
I'd start with the cheapest fix: message the sender another way, ask them to open WhatsApp and update it, and be online at the same time. If it's showing on a computer or tablet, check your phone first, and relink if the phone's gone unused for a while. Skip reinstalling WhatsApp to clear it, because WhatsApp lists a recent reinstall as one of the causes, not as a cure.
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Frequently asked questions
What does waiting for this message mean on WhatsApp?
WhatsApp says end-to-end encryption can make a message wait before it shows. The causes it lists are a failed delivery, a recent reinstall, an out-of-date version, or a new phone on the same number.
Does waiting for this message mean I've been blocked?
WhatsApp's list of causes doesn't include blocking. It points to delivery, reinstalls, app versions and device changes.
How long does waiting for this message last?
WhatsApp doesn't give a time. Its fixes are to get online together, check your connection, update, ask for a resend, switch to your primary phone, or relink a linked device.
Why does my computer say check your phone?
That's the linked-device version. WhatsApp says the message may need time to arrive there, so check your phone, ask the other person to open WhatsApp and make sure you're both up to date.
