WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion users. However, a common issue that many WhatsApp users face is not having enough storage space on their phone to update to the latest version of the app.
Why does WhatsApp require extra storage space to update?
WhatsApp regularly releases new versions of the app with new features and bug fixes. These updates typically increase the size of the WhatsApp app. If your phone is low on storage, WhatsApp may not have enough free space to download the latest update and install it.
For example, if you have an older version of WhatsApp that is 100MB in size, and the latest update is 120MB, then you would need at least 20MB of free storage for WhatsApp to update itself. Without enough free space, WhatsApp will be stuck on the old version and you won’t be able to access any new features or fixes.
How much free storage space does WhatsApp need for updating?
As a rule of thumb, WhatsApp requires at least 100MB of free storage space on your phone in order to smoothly download and install updates. This number may vary slightly depending on the size of the latest update, but having around 100MB free is typically enough.
If your phone is almost full and you only have 10-20MB storage available, WhatsApp likely won’t have enough room to update itself. You’ll need to clear up a lot more space for the update process to complete successfully.
How can I free up storage space on my phone?
Here are some tips to free up storage space on your Android or iPhone so WhatsApp can update:
Remove unused apps
Go through your apps and remove any apps you no longer use. This can free up a surprising amount of storage space.
Offload large apps
Some apps like games and media apps take up a lot of storage. You can offload apps you don’t use often – this removes the app but keeps your data and settings.
Clear app cache and data
In your phone Settings, find the Storage/Memory section and review which apps are taking up the most space. Clear cached data and unused app data to free up space.
Remove media you don’t need
Photos, videos and music files tend to consume storage over time. Delete files you no longer need to free up room for WhatsApp to update.
Move files to external storage
If your phone supports external storage like an SD card, move files like photos and videos to external storage instead of internal phone storage.
Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp
As a last resort, you can uninstall WhatsApp completely, freeing up all the space it was consuming. You can then reinstall WhatsApp and the latest version will download.
How to prevent WhatsApp storage issues in the future
Once you’ve freed up enough space for WhatsApp to update itself, here are some tips to avoid running into this issue again in the future:
Enable auto-delete for chat history
WhatsApp has a built-in auto-delete option where it will automatically remove old chats after a set duration to save space. Enable this in WhatsApp Settings > Data and Storage Usage.
Frequently remove media
Don’t let your WhatsApp media build up over time. Frequently go through and remove photos, videos and audio files you no longer need.
Back up your data
Regularly back up your WhatsApp data either to Google Drive or locally so that you can safely remove WhatsApp when needed to free up space without losing your chats.
Move WhatsApp to SD card
If supported by your phone, you can move WhatsApp to your SD card to reduce the storage burden on your internal storage.
Buy a phone with more storage
If you frequently run into storage limit issues, consider buying a new phone that has more internal storage capacity so you don’t have to deal with the hassle.
What happens if I can’t update WhatsApp?
If you don’t have enough free storage space, WhatsApp will remain stuck on the old version and won’t be able to update itself. Here are some potential issues with not updating WhatsApp:
- You won’t be able to access new features released in the latest update
- Performance and bug fixes won’t be applied as your version is outdated
- Security vulnerabilities that are patched in new versions will remain unpatched
- You may encounter errors or issues that are already fixed in the latest update
- You won’t see the current WhatsApp design and UI if major interface changes were made
While your old version of WhatsApp will continue to work, it’s best to keep the app updated whenever possible to get the latest features, changes and security improvements.
Conclusion
Updating WhatsApp when you have low storage on your phone can be frustrating, but is necessary to get the latest version with all the bug fixes, features and security enhancements. Make use of the tips outlined above to free up storage space so you can update WhatsApp properly.
Removing unused apps, offloading large apps, clearing cached data and deleting unnecessary media files can help dramatically increase available storage. You can also uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp as a last resort. Going forward, be proactive about managing WhatsApp storage by enabling auto-delete, frequently removing media, and backing up your chats.
Staying on an outdated version of WhatsApp can lead to a poor user experience and security risks. Free up your phone’s storage today so you can update WhatsApp and enjoy the messaging app at its best.
| Tip | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Remove unused apps | Frees up storage space used by apps you don’t need |
| Offload large apps | Temporarily removes app while keeping data/settings |
| Clear app cache and data | Deletes temporary files and app data |
| Remove media | Photos, videos and music take up storage over time |
| Move files to SD card | Stores files on external storage instead of main storage |
| Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp | Removes WhatsApp completely to free up all its storage use |
| Preventative Measure | Description |
|---|---|
| Enable auto-delete chats | WhatsApp automatically removes old chats to save space |
| Frequently remove media | Don’t let photos, videos & audio build up over time |
| Back up chats | Lets you safely remove WhatsApp without losing data |
| Move WhatsApp to SD card | Reduces storage burden if phone supports SD card |
| Buy a phone with more storage | Prevents constantly running into capacity limits |
| Issue | Impact of Not Updating |
|---|---|
| Missing new features | Can’t access latest features added in updates |
| No performance fixes | App continues running slower or crashing |
| Outdated UI/design | Stuck with old design instead of new look |
| Vulnerable to security risks | Hackers can exploit fixed vulnerabilities |
| Existing bugs remain unpatched | Errors and issues that are fixed in updates persist |