Mac OS Big Sur 11.7.10 with WhatsApp Desktop 2.25.1.83 problem. Application failed to start "4" error

Hello everyone,

Today I updated the latest version of Whatsapp (2.25.1.83) from the AppStore on my Mac OS Big Sur 11.7.10 computer. However, after the update, it started giving the error "Whatsapp.app cannot be opened (4)" again.

I deleted and reinstalled it, but it gave the same error again. I deleted Whatsapp. I found the previous version as a .dmg and when I installed it (2.24.25.94), the problem was solved. However, this version will become unusable in a few days.

Is anyone else experiencing this problem? Is Whatsapp having a problem with Big Sur?

iMac 27″

Posted on Feb 6, 2025 10:35 AM

Top-ranking reply

Nalbantoğlu Author

Level 1

12 points

Posted on Feb 19, 2025 11:09 AM

Best solution:

Download the Native version (not .dmg; native version for osx in .zip) in Whatsapp website of 24.25.94 version and install it from here. Other AppStore or old .dmg version also fails to open. This is not the case in the native version. Probably updates components unintentionally. It works and there is no need to update. It works without any problems. Close the updates and make Whatsapp.app Locked from Finder. You can continue to use the Whatsapp application without any problems until the problem is solved. Tried in both Big Sur/Monterey.

I think the problem in the new version is probably caused by an instruction set that is not available in older generation Intel CPUs. They may have done something like this without thinking about backward compatibility or by overlooking it in order to make the application faster.

The solution I mentioned is the most successful way until it is solved.

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Mac OS Big Sur 11.7.10 with WhatsApp Desktop 2.25.1.83 problem. Application failed to start "4" error

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