GB WhatsApp Changelog: Version History from v17.00 to v18.80
Page reviewed: September 2026. The tracked version remains v18.80; this review does not establish a new APK release date.
Current release: v18.80 · September 2026 · Archive maintained together with the all-versions homepage
GB WhatsApp ships without an official changelog, so this page reconstructs each release's highlights from public release channels, direct checks and community-corroborated reports. It uses the same version list and the same approximate periods as the version archive on the homepage — one dataset, two views. Periods for older builds are seasons and years on purpose: nobody has exact release dates for old mod builds, and we refuse to invent them. Every build below v18.80 is expired; only the current release should ever be installed.
Version Tracker at a Glance
| Version | Period / last review | Headline change | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| v18.80 | Reviewed September 2026 | Anti-ban refresh on a newer official base | Active — current release |
| v18.70 | mid-2026 | Anti-ban reinforcement after a ban wave | Expired |
| v18.60 | early 2026 | Finer per-contact privacy controls | Expired |
| v18.50 | early 2026 | Theme engine update, fingerprint chat lock | Expired |
| v18.30 | late 2025 | DND mode rework, scheduler reliability | Expired |
| v18.20 | late 2025 | Login compatibility after server-side changes | Expired |
| v18.00 | mid-2025 | Opened the 18.x line with a UI refresh | Expired |
| v17.70 | early 2025 | Final 17.x maintenance run | Expired |
| v17.55 | 2024 | Ghost mode improvements, bigger media batches | Expired |
| v17.00 | 2024 | Opened the 17.x line | Expired |
Why do all the old rows say expired? Every GB WhatsApp build carries a built-in expiry date, and server-side changes break old builds on top of that. The homepage archive explains the whole lifecycle — and why we document old versions instead of hosting their APKs.
Release Notes in Detail
v18.80 active — current
- Anti-ban layer refreshed against WhatsApp's current detection behavior — the headline change of this build.
- Re-based on a newer official WhatsApp release, carrying over upstream features and fixes.
- Login and number-verification fixes for errors introduced by recent server-side changes.
- Crash and stability fixes across chats, status and media screens; smoother on Android 15.
- Fresh expiry window; theme-engine and performance polish.
This is the only build in the archive that currently works. Get it from the download page.
v18.70 expired
- Anti-ban signatures strengthened after a wave of temporary bans hit users on older builds.
- Status saver made more reliable, including long video statuses.
- Restored stable 90-image batch sending after upstream changes broke it.
- Assorted bug fixes in chat and group screens.
v18.60 expired
- Per-contact privacy controls: hide read receipts, last seen and view-once behavior per chat.
- Ghost-mode toggles stabilized so settings survive app restarts.
- Faster media loading and scrolling on large chat histories.
- Routine anti-ban maintenance and minor UI fixes.
v18.50 expired
- Theme engine update with new font packs and home-screen styles.
- Chat lock gained fingerprint support on compatible devices.
- Fixed a bug where scheduled messages could fire twice.
- General stability and anti-ban upkeep.
v18.30 expired
- DND mode reworked: cuts internet for GB WhatsApp only, more reliably.
- Message scheduler and auto-reply made timezone-aware.
- Anti-revoke coverage extended to deleted statuses.
- Fixes for delayed notifications on some OEM Android skins.
v18.20 expired
- Login and verification compatibility restored after WhatsApp server-side changes — a live demonstration of why frozen old builds eventually stop connecting.
- Crash fixes on first launch and during backup restore.
- Small privacy-panel wording and layout cleanups.
v18.00 expired
- Opened the 18.x line: refreshed interface and reorganized GB Settings.
- Privacy toolkit regrouped under clearer categories.
- Stability overhaul that closed out the 17.x series.
v17.70 expired
- Final maintenance run of the 17.x line before the jump to 18.x.
- Anti-ban patches responding to detection changes at the time.
- Media-sending fixes, including failures on large video files.
- Last build many long-time users remember as “classic” GB WhatsApp — and, like the rest of the 17.x line, long expired.
v17.55 expired
- Ghost mode improvements: more reliable hiding of online status during active use.
- Media batch limits raised toward the 90-image ceiling later builds kept.
- Stability work across chat, status and call screens.
v17.00 expired
- Opened the 17.x line with a reworked privacy panel layout.
- Established the modern feature set: ghost mode, anti-revoke, per-chat locks, theme library.
- The oldest release this archive tracks — anything claiming to be an older “GB WhatsApp original version” download today is unverifiable and should be treated as hostile.
How We Compile This Changelog
Mod developers don't publish formal release notes, so each entry here merges three sources: the notes that circulate with each build on public release channels, what changes we can observe directly (version string, size, settings layout), and widely reported fixes in the user community. Periods for older releases are approximate by nature — seasons and years, never invented exact dates. The current release is always verified directly before the tracker moves, and this page is updated in the same batch as the version archive so the two never disagree. If you spot two GB WhatsApp sites whose version tables contradict each other, the homepage explains why that happens and what it tells you.
Running One of the Expired Versions?
Anything below v18.80 in this list has passed its expiry window: it either shows the “this version has expired” screen already or will soon, and its anti-ban layer is stale in the meantime. The fix is a five-minute in-place update straight to the current build — no intermediate versions needed, chats preserved. Follow the update guide, or grab the file directly:
Download GB WhatsApp APK v18.80
Related: old versions archive · download page · anti-ban guide · FAQ