WhatsApp registration fails on stock Murena Fairphone 6 (/e/OS 4.0), SafetyNet/DroidGuard attestation issue?

[tripix_CS]

Hi, I cannot register WhatsApp on my Fairphone gen6 running latest /e/OS (4.0-a15-20260610633983-official-FP6) as shipped by Murena. The device was bought with /e/OS preinstalled; the bootloader is locked and the OEM unlocking toggle is off.

Symptoms: after entering my phone number and tapping “Next”, a “Connecting…” spinner appears briefly and then simply disappears. The app returns to the phone number screen without any error message (occasionally a brief toast “Could not find a phone number” is shown). No verification code screen ever appears and no SMS arrives.

I have ruled out everything on my side. The behaviour is identical with WhatsApp from App Lounge, the official APK from whatsapp.com, WhatsApp installed via Aurora Store while logged in with a real Google account, and WhatsApp Business. Internet works on both Wi-Fi and mobile data (whatsapp.com loads fine in the browser). Advanced Privacy is fully disabled, no VPN, private DNS on automatic, date/time automatic, the app has unrestricted data access, and the phone was restarted between attempts. Registering the same number on a stock Android phone works immediately. Notably, all my other apps work, including banking apps with their own security checks — only WhatsApp registration fails.

microG: Self-Check is all green, Google device registration ON, Cloud Messaging ON, device attestation allowed, WhatsApp is not hidden via “Hide from apps”. Under microG → Device certification, WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business are listed under “Apps using SafetyNet”. This matches multiple reports on r/fairphone of WhatsApp’s registration integrity check failing on /e/OS, including on another stock Murena device.

As WhatsApp is essential for daily communication, I’d like to know whether a fix is planned (e.g. in a microG/DroidGuard update) and whether there is any workaround in the meantime.

[Ofvial]

I recently bought the FP6 with e/OS and currently have the same issue that you described.
Did anyone found any solutions?

[Ofvial]

I followed one of the proposed solutions here, which was to link it as a secondary device. That worked for me just now. However, ideally there should be a solution to install it as a primary device.

[rappel.ledge6571]

For me, logging into google device-wide fixed it, because my WhatsApp is linked to my Google account (or at least my account, idk if it’s possible to have one without a Google account). The reason it seems to get stuck is because after pressing connect, it usually prompts a window for your Google account, but apparently they never properly made an error message for when this fails.

I know that doing this kinda defeats the purpose of using /e/OS, however unfortunately I am absolutely dependent on WhatsApp for a number of reasons…

I’ll have to see if I can de-google my WhatsApp account I guess, but this was for sure my issue.

[tcecyk]

could be due to playintegrity.

If you can, the logcat while the “brief toast” is shown

“Could not find a phone number”

would be the most telling.

I do wonder about users being affected, if they removed whatsapp from their previous device before starting to setup on the new.

[jnthnkl]

Can you all make sure you have made the following steps before installing WhatsApp?

Passing Play Integrity (Basic) - microG

[Klemens]

Hello,

Yes, I did.

I set up a Google account in microG Services and entered an account in App Lounge.

Same issue: WhatsApp gets stuck during phone number registration. A “Connecting” pop-up appears briefly, but nothing happens.

Incidentally, I have the same problem with the KVV.regiomove app; it also tries to register using a phone number and SMS.

[jnthnkl]

@Klemens Have you uninstall and install again WhatsApp after you logged in with your Google account ? Have you downloaded WhatsApp from AppLounge ? Also are you on the last version of /e/OS ?

[Klemens]

@jnthnkl

All oft this:

• Uninstall the downloadet apk
• reeboot
• Login to google account
• Install via applounger ( with account)
• try to Connect whatsapp

→same behavior, process stuck

[jnthnkl]

@Klemens Ok, strange. Can you make sure you pass Play Integrity Basic level with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gr.nikolasspyr.integritycheck&hl=en

[c.klein72]

I “copied” my WhatsApp account using my old phone. There are several tutorials on YouTube how to do this.

I did however also download from f-droid an other contact app in which I can decide wether or not a phonenummer get’s shared with other apps or not.

And since WhatsApp is copied all your chat history is just there with your contact’s so meta has no business snooping around in your contact list.

[Klemens]

@jnthnkl,

hmm

Something went wrong;

[jnthnkl]

@Klemens on which version of /e/OS are you ? You need to be on 4.1.1 to have basic level fixed.

[Klemens]

@jnthnkl

I bought a new FP6 Murena

Update it to: 4.1.1-a16-20260717651034 official-FP6

I startet without Google account ( thats what i want ).

Sync PIM whith my nextcloud instance… Apps from app-lounge/f-droid/optainium..Everything i need work perfekt, inklusive Banking app etc.

Then I added the google account only to solve the whatsup Installation/register Drama, but it do not help.

( Use my Google account from old phone)

In my opinion the registration-hassle with whatsapp has nothing to do with or whithout Googleaccount in microG services.

As “conectet device” in whatsapp it works… so i will use wa in this way, at least, 14 days long-

[jnthnkl]

@Klemens Can you try to provide us logs using the following documentation ? Capture a debug information from /e/OS

You could be in this situation that just got fixed: Whatsapp Registration Failure as Primary Device (#9532) · Issues · e / Backlog · GitLab

[Klemens]

Yes, im exactly in the bug described.

To provide BUG Reports its to much “frikle” for me at the moment

[jnthnkl]

@Klemens ok so this should be fixed soon with 4.2

[Klemens]

@jnthkljnthkl

thank you for tips.

My workaround for now is:

i moved/transfered the WA-Profile to an very old china tablet with an asop/microG (9) and without Google account. WA installt via Aurora in this device.

On my FP6 WA run now as “second device”, this works for now.

My e/OS-Murena run now without a Google account.

My mistake with whatsup in former times was that i made once a backup in WA. Now my WA profile is conect to my phonenumber and my Google account. ( so in the menue for backup in WA, and i could not geht rid oft it).

I will see what happens when i delete my g-account -

[tripix_CS]

I have a rooted Samsung a12 (SM-A127F - android version 13) which I normally use for testing (cybersecurity student → course: Mobile security).
At the moment I use this phone as a proxy: configured Whatsapp on this samsung, connected my FP6 as secondairy.

It works and as long there is no stable solution for this issue I’ll keep using this proxy Samsung just for Whatsapp.