The quickest and easiest way to save someone’s WhatsApp status to your phone’s gallery is to take a screenshot of it. Simply open the status you want to save, then press the Volume Down and Power buttons simultaneously to capture the screenshot. This will save the image directly to your phone’s gallery where you can view or share it later.
Why You Might Want to Save a WhatsApp Status
There are a few main reasons why you may want to save a WhatsApp status rather than just viewing it once:
- To view it again later – Status updates only last 24 hours, so saving it allows you to view it multiple times.
- To share it with someone else – You can forward saved statuses to other contacts.
- To have a permanent record – You may want to save important statuses like announcements or memories.
- To use for other purposes – Having it saved allows you to potentially edit, print, or share the status image/video in other ways.
How to Screenshot a WhatsApp Status
Taking a screenshot is the fastest and easiest way to save a status. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
- Open the WhatsApp app and tap on the “Statuses” tab at the top of the screen.
- Locate the status you want to save and tap to open it.
- While the status is open, simultaneously press and hold the Volume Down and Power buttons on your phone. Hold them for about 1 second.
- You’ll hear a shutter sound effect or see a screenshot animation. This indicates the screenshot was captured successfully.
- Open your phone’s Photos/Gallery app and you should see the screenshot saved there.
That’s all there is to it! Taking a screenshot saves the exact image or frame of video you had open so you can view or share it later.
Saving Videos vs Images
The screenshot method works the same for saving video statuses as image statuses. The only difference is:
- Video statuses – Your screenshot will capture the current frame of video displayed when you took it. You won’t save the actual video file.
- Image statuses – Your screenshot will save the full image.
So screenshots are best for quickly saving images you want to view again. For videos, you’ll only capture a still frame rather than the full video file.
Using Third-Party Apps to Save Statuses
In addition to the native screenshot method, there are also various third-party apps you can use to save WhatsApp statuses:
- Status Saver apps – These specialized apps allow you to download videos and images. Popular options include Status Saver, Status Downloader, WhatsApp Status Saver, etc.
- File explorer apps – Apps like ES File Explorer and Files by Google can locate and save status files directly from your phone’s storage.
The advantage of using these apps is you can save the full video files of statuses rather than just a screenshot. However, third-party apps also have downsides:
- It’s an extra step – You have to install and open another app.
- Potential security risks – Accessing status files directly can be risky.
- Status saver apps are often ad-supported or paid.
So for quick, easy saving, a screenshot is best. But if you want to download the full video file, a status saver app is the way to go.
WhatsApp Status Save Settings
In your WhatsApp settings, there is also an option to auto-save statuses you view to your phone’s gallery. To enable this:
- Open WhatsApp Settings.
- Go to Account > Privacy.
- Toggle on “Save to Camera Roll.”
With this setting enabled, any statuses you view will automatically be saved to your camera roll. However, there are some downsides to auto-saving:
- Saves every status you view, not just specific ones you want.
- Only saves videos as still image thumbnails, not the full videos.
- Can take up extra storage space on your phone over time.
Because of these limitations, it’s generally better to manually screenshot only the specific statuses you want to keep.
WhatsApp Status Download Settings
Similar to auto-saving, there is a Download setting that lets you automatically download any statuses you’re tagged in:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Data and Storage Usage.
- Toggle on “Auto-download linked devices.”
This will download statuses you’re mentioned in to your phone’s internal storage. You can then view them in your gallery even after the 24-hour expiration. However, this only works for statuses you’re tagged in, not general statuses from your contacts. So it isn’t as useful for saving statuses in general.
Using File Manager to Browse WhatsApp Statuses
For advanced users, you can use your phone’s built-in File Manager app to browse statuses and save the files directly. Here’s how:
- Open your phone’s File Manager app.
- Navigate to the WhatsApp > Media > .Statuses folder.
- Open the folder for the contact whose status you want to save.
- Long press on the status file and select “Save” or “Copy” to move it to another folder.
This gives you access to save the full video or image files. However, it’s a more complex process with some downsides:
- Statuses are only temporarily stored here before being deleted.
- Accessing app folders directly can pose security risks.
- You have to identify the correct status file to save.
- Contact names may not be easy to identify.
So for most users, a simple screenshot is still the best way to quickly save WhatsApp statuses.
Using Third-Party File Manager Apps
As an alternative to your phone’s built-in file manager, you can also use third-party file explorer apps to browse and save statuses. Popular options include:
- ES File Explorer
- ZRZ File Manager
- Files by Google
- MiXplorer
The process is very similar:
- Open the file manager app.
- Navigate to the WhatsApp Status folder.
- Tap the status you want to save.
- Select “Save” or “Copy” to move it to another folder.
Again, this gives you access to the full status files. But it comes with the same security and identification caveats as using your built-in file manager.
Using Apps Like ShareChat to Save Statuses
Some third-party apps like ShareChat allow linking your WhatsApp account to re-share statuses easily. You can use them to:
- Link your WhatsApp account in ShareChat.
- Share any WhatsApp status you see to ShareChat.
- The status gets saved in ShareChat even after expiring from WhatsApp.
However, this only works for statuses shared publicly by your contacts. You can’t use apps like ShareChat to save private statuses or your own statuses. The security and privacy risks of linking accounts also need to be considered.
Using an Android Emulator on PC
For Android users, one advanced technique is using an Android emulator like BlueStacks on your computer. You can mirror your phone and then:
- View statuses on the emulator.
- Use keyboard shortcuts to capture screenshots.
- Save screenshots to your computer.
While this takes more effort, it allows easily saving statuses to your PC rather than just your phone. However, emulators come with their own complexities to setup and use.
Using WhatsApp Web to Save Statuses
If you frequently use WhatsApp Web on your computer, you can also view and screenshot statuses through the web interface. Just open the status you want to save and press Print Screen or Ctrl+S to save a screenshot to your PC.
This offers the convenience of capturing screenshots directly on your computer instead of your phone. However, WhatsApp Web must be paired to your phone for this to work.
Status Download Apps for iPhone
On iPhone, you don’t have direct access to app folders to save files. But there are download helper apps like Status Saver Made Easy that work similar to Android status savers:
- Download and install the status saver app.
- Give it access to your photos and WhatsApp.
- Open a status you want to save.
- Share the status to the saver app.
- It will download and save the video or image.
These apps simplify saving statuses on iPhone, but sharing access to other apps poses some privacy risks to consider.
Jailbreaking Your iPhone
For advanced iOS users, jailbreaking your iPhone gives full filesystem access to save WhatsApp statuses directly. However, this has significant downsides:
- It voids your device warranty and poses security risks.
- The process to jailbreak phones is very technical.
- Apple actively patches jailbreaking exploits.
- Many normal apps will no longer work correctly.
So jailbreaking is not recommended for most users. Easier options like using Status Saver apps or taking screenshots are better alternatives on iPhone.
WhatsApp Status Copy Limitations
Some key limitations to understand about copying and saving statuses from WhatsApp:
- You can only directly save statuses you have access to view.
- You cannot save deleted or expired statuses.
- Copying statuses via third-party apps may be blocked.
- Time limits, screenshot blocking, and encryption can prevent copying.
- Status files are automatically deleted from WhatsApp’s folders after expiry.
Due to privacy reasons, WhatsApp tries to limit status copying where possible. So screenshotting directly from the app itself is the most reliable and effective saving method in most cases.
Ethics of Saving WhatsApp Statuses
While it’s technically possible to save statuses in many ways, it’s also important to consider the ethics of doing so. Some key points:
- Respect others’ privacy – Don’t share or misuse statuses you save without permission.
- Ask first if unsure – Request permission from the status creator if you want to share or keep it long-term.
- Follow usage guidelines – Don’t use third-party apps expressly banned by WhatsApp.
- Stay secure – Be very careful granting third-party apps access to your accounts.
Always keep in mind that statuses are intended to be temporary. So only save what you absolutely need to, and be extra cautious with any sensitive statuses you capture.
Conclusion
Saving WhatsApp statuses requires just a few simple taps using the built-in screenshot method, letting you easily capture and store statuses you want to keep. While third-party apps offer ways to download status files directly, screenshots are safer, quicker, and work consistently across both iOS and Android. Just be sure to only save statuses for legitimate personal use, respecting the privacy of others. With this in mind, you’ll be able to safely preserve important statuses to reference long after their 24-hour expiration.