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How do I clear my internal storage on WhatsApp?

With WhatsApp being one of the most popular messaging apps, many users often find their phone storage being taken up by large amounts of WhatsApp data. This can include media like photos, videos, and audio files sent as attachments, as well as cached data from the app itself. If you find your internal storage is being filled up by WhatsApp data, here are some tips on how to clear it out and free up space.

Checking WhatsApp’s Storage Usage

The first step is to check how much storage WhatsApp is actually taking up. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Storage and Data > Storage Usage. Here you’ll see a breakdown of the different types of files filling up your storage and how much space they’re using. This can help identify where the bulk of your WhatsApp data is coming from.

Media like photos, videos and audio messages tend to be the biggest WhatsApp storage hogs. Over time, these can build up as you exchange more media files with your contacts. WhatsApp also stores cached versions of these files on your phone so they load quicker when you open the app. Other types of files like document attachments and WhatsApp database files can also accumulate.

Clearing Media Storage

To clear out old media files, open the WhatsApp Settings > Storage and Data > Media Auto Download. Here you can disable auto download for when you’re on mobile data or roaming. This prevents new media from being automatically saved.

You’ll also see options to clear out existing media. Tap on Photos, Videos, or Audio to view and delete those files from your phone’s storage. WhatsApp will still display a preview of the media, but the full file won’t be taking up space.

Deleting Large Files

In Chats, tap and hold any media file like a photo, video or audio clip. A pop-up menu will appear – choose the “Delete from Device” option. This will delete the file from your phone’s internal storage without removing it from the WhatsApp conversation.

You can also use WhatsApp’s built-in file manager. Go to Settings > Storage and Data > Manage Storage. Tap on the Attachments or Audio files tabs. Select the files you want to remove and tap on the trash icon.

Clearing Cache

WhatsApp stores cached versions of media files and data from conversations on your device. Over time, the cache can grow and take up a chunk of internal storage. To clear it out:

  • Go to Settings > Storage and Data > Storage Usage
  • Tap on “CLEAR CACHE” – this will delete any temporary files saved by WhatsApp.

Moving WhatsApp to External SD Card

If your phone has an SD card slot, you can set WhatsApp to store files on your external SD card instead of internal storage:

  1. Go to Settings > Storage and Data > Storage Usage
  2. Tap on “Change” and select your external SD card
  3. Confirm that you want to move WhatsApp to the SD card

This will save all future WhatsApp data like media files and backups to your SD card instead. Just keep in mind your SD card will now be tied up storing WhatsApp data.

Backing Up and Reinstalling

If you want a clean slate, consider backing up your WhatsApp data and fully reinstalling the app. This will wipe all local WhatsApp data from your phone storage. Just remember to backup chats first:

  • Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup
  • Tap “Back Up” to create a recent backup on Google Drive

Once backed up, you can uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp from the Play Store. On first launch, restore your backup from Google Drive. Your chats will be downloaded again but media files and cached data will be deleted.

Clearing Data via App Settings

For a more nuclear option, you can clear all WhatsApp data via your App Settings. Go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Storage. Tap on “CLEAR DATA” to completely wipe all local WhatsApp files from your phone.

This will remove all chats and media files so don’t do it without a recent backup. But it’s the surefire way to completely wipe the WhatsApp slate clean.

Managing Chat Backups

WhatsApp backups can also take up storage space, especially if you have years of chat history backed up. To save space:

  • Delete old backups – only the most recent backup is needed to restore your chats.
  • Set backups to periodic rather than daily – less frequent backups take up less total space.
  • Use WiFi only for backups – this prevents mobile data overages.

You can manage backups by going to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Review your backup settings and adjust as needed to save storage space.

Conclusion

Freeing up WhatsApp storage requires regularly clearing out old media files, cached data, and backups. Move files to an SD card if possible or do a fresh reinstall to wipe the slate clean. With a few maintenance habits, you can keep WhatsApp from hogging your phone’s limited internal storage.