“Waiting for this message. This may take a while” – WhatsApp Message Error

“Waiting for this message. This may take a while” – WhatsApp Message Error

If you see the message “Waiting for this message. This may take a while” in WhatsApp, it means the app is unable to decrypt a message because the encryption keys are not yet available on your device.

Why This Happens

• Your phone or linked device was offline when the message was sent.
• The sender or receiver recently reinstalled WhatsApp or switched devices.
• There was a temporary sync issue between your phone and WhatsApp's servers.

How to Fix

• Ensure your phone is online and WhatsApp is running in the foreground.
• Wait a few minutes—WhatsApp will usually recover the message automatically once the keys sync.
• If the issue persists, restart your phone and open WhatsApp again.
• Ask the sender to resend the message if it never arrives.

When to Contact Support

If you see this error frequently or for many messages, contact WasenderApi support for further investigation.