WhatsApp 'Waiting for this message': Causes and Fixes
Here are the causes WhatsApp lists for 'Waiting for this message', the steps it suggests, and how the linked-device version differs.
Daniel Roth5 min read
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A message you expected shows only the words "Waiting for this message". This guide covers what WhatsApp's Help Center says causes it, the steps it suggests, and how the "Check your phone" version on a linked device differs. Every rule below was read on 2026-11-12.
What does "Waiting for this message" mean on WhatsApp?
It is a placeholder that replaces an incoming message. The full wording is "Waiting for this message. This may take a while." It is about a message you are receiving, not one you sent. The sections below list the four causes WhatsApp gives and the steps it suggests, in the order its Help Center page gives them.
If your own message shows a clock instead, that is a different problem, covered in the clock icon guide.
What causes "Waiting for this message"?
WhatsApp's help page lists four causes. Two of them name you or the sender, so the other person's phone can be involved. WhatsApp does not rank them, so the list below is in the order WhatsApp gives it.
- The message failed to deliver.
- You or the sender recently reinstalled WhatsApp.
- You or the sender are not using the latest version of WhatsApp.
- You replaced your primary device and installed WhatsApp on a new device with the same number.
WhatsApp does not say which cause is more likely, so work through the steps below rather than guessing.
How do you fix "Waiting for this message"?
WhatsApp suggests six steps for this message, and the order below follows its page. The first four are quick checks you can do first, while the last two change which device or link holds your account, so they come last in the list.
- Ask the sender to open WhatsApp and make sure you are both online at the same time.
- Check your connection, and try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile internet.
- Update WhatsApp, and ask the sender to update too.
- If the message failed to deliver, ask the sender to resend it.
- Switch to your primary phone, the one you used to register the account.
- Unlink and relink a linked device.
Common mistake: relinking first. WhatsApp lists unlinking and relinking last, after the checks that cost nothing, so try the earlier steps before you scan a new QR code.
What is the "Check your phone" version?
On a linked device, such as WhatsApp Web, you may see "Waiting for this message. Check your phone." WhatsApp's page says you might need to wait for the message to arrive on the linked device. This version is shown on the linked device, so the phone is the first place to look.
To speed it up, WhatsApp says to check your phone for the message, ask the other person to open WhatsApp, and make sure you are both on the latest version.
Does a linked device need the phone to log in?
Yes, from time to time. WhatsApp's page on this error says you need to log in to your primary phone every 14 days to keep linked devices connected. WhatsApp Help gives 30 days of inactivity on the linked devices page, so check both figures. The connection guide covers both and what a relink does in Blueticks.
If you use Blueticks, the connection guide above shows when restarting a connection is enough and when you need to scan a new QR code.
FAQ
How long does "Waiting for this message" last?
WhatsApp's Help Center gives no time. It says the message may take a while and lists steps to speed it up.
Does it mean the sender blocked me?
WhatsApp does not list a block as a cause of this wording. Its causes are a failed delivery, a reinstall, an older version, or a new device with the same number.
Is it the same as a message stuck on a clock?
No. The clock appears next to a message you sent. This wording replaces a message you received. See the clock icon guide.
Will the message ever arrive?
WhatsApp does not promise that. Its steps say that if the message failed to deliver, you should ask the sender to resend it.
Sources read on 2026-11-12: three WhatsApp Help Center pages (two on "Waiting for this message", the general and the "Check your phone" versions, and About linked devices), and the Blueticks connection guide. Blueticks is not affiliated with WhatsApp or Meta.
