WhatsApp is a popular messaging app used by over 2 billion people worldwide. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos and make voice and video calls. WhatsApp stores all your chat history and media in database files on your phone’s internal storage.
While these database files allow WhatsApp to function properly, they can take up a significant amount of storage space on your phone over time. The WhatsApp database can grow to over 1-2GB based on your usage. If you are running low on phone storage, you may want to stop WhatsApp from creating large database files.
Why does WhatsApp create database files?
WhatsApp uses SQLite databases to store your messages, media attachments, contacts and other data. There are two main database files created by WhatsApp:
- msgstore.db.crypt12 – Stores your messages, media files, group information etc.
- wa.db – Stores your WhatsApp contacts, settings and other account information.
As you continue using WhatsApp, these database files grow in size to store all your new data. Your chat history, shared media, group details and other WhatsApp data gets appended to these database files over time.
Should I delete the WhatsApp databases?
Deleting the WhatsApp databases directly is not recommended, as this can lead to data loss or corruption. WhatsApp may not work properly if it cannot access these required databases.
If you simply delete the database files, WhatsApp will automatically regenerate them when you launch the app. All your existing chats and media will be lost in the process.
How can I reduce the database size?
Here are some tips to control the size of WhatsApp databases on your phone:
Clear Chat History
Deleting old chats and media will reduce the size of the msgstore.db.crypt12 file. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat History and tap on “Clear All Chats”. This will remove your entire chat history and free up storage space.
Delete Large Files
If you have sent or received large video files, documents or media on WhatsApp, go through your chat history and delete them. This will remove them from the database and free up space.
Take Chat Backups
You can backup your chats to Google Drive or locally to your phone storage. After taking a backup, you can safely delete old chats and media from WhatsApp to shrink the database size. Your chat history will remain intact in the backup if you ever need to restore.
Migrate Chats to New Phone
When migrating to a new phone, move your WhatsApp chat history using the chat backup. This will reset the databases and allow WhatsApp to create fresh databases without baggage from your old usage history.
Delete Groups
Leaving or deleting any unused groups can reduce the msgstore.db.crypt12 file size, since all group content is stored here. Exit groups you are no longer active in to free up space.
Remove Unused Media
Go through your saved media in WhatsApp Gallery and delete files you no longer need – such as photos, videos, GIFs, voice messages and documents. Over time, unused media can accumulate and take up storage space.
Disable Auto-Download
Disable auto-download of media in WhatsApp settings. This prevents automatic storing of photos, videos, documents etc. that your contacts send in the database. Only download media from chats when you need it.
Clear Phone Cache
Your phone’s system cache can build up over time with residual WhatsApp data. Clear the app cache and system cache from your phone settings to remove temporary WhatsApp files.
Use a File Manager to View Databases
You can use a file manager or file explorer app to view the size of WhatsApp databases on your phone’s storage. This helps you identify exactly which database file is taking up the most space.
Go to your phone’s storage and look for the WhatsApp folder – the msgstore.db.crypt12 and wa.db files will be visible here. You can see their sizes to determine which one needs trimming down.
Use External Storage for Media
If your phone has SD card support, set WhatsApp to store media on your phone’s external SD card instead of internal storage. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Data and Storage Usage and select your SD card for media storage. This will prevent filling up internal storage space.
Conclusion
To summarize, here are some effective ways to stop WhatsApp databases from occupying too much storage space on your phone:
- Delete old chats and media you no longer need
- Take chat backups regularly and restore to reset databases
- Leave or delete unused WhatsApp groups
- Disable auto-media download and only save required files
- Check database sizes with a file manager and focus on trimming the largest one
- Move your WhatsApp media storage to an SD card if available
Pruning your WhatsApp usage and chats periodically can prevent the database files from ballooning in size. This will ensure WhatsApp doesn’t eat up too much precious storage space on your phone.
| Database File | Purpose | Size Management Tips |
|---|---|---|
| msgstore.db.crypt12 | Stores messages, media files, groups info |
|
| wa.db | Stores contacts, settings, account info |
|
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my WhatsApp database so big?
Large group chats, media files like photos/videos, and years of chat history can make your WhatsApp database grow very big in size. Regular pruning and cleanup is required to keep it under control.
Is it safe to delete WhatsApp databases?
No, you should not directly delete the WhatsApp databases as this can lead to chat loss and app issues. Take backups and use the chat cleanup features within WhatsApp instead for size management.
Will my messages be deleted if I clear WhatsApp data?
Yes, clearing WhatsApp data from phone settings will wipe the databases and delete all your chats and media permanently. Ensure you have a backup before clearing data.
How do I make space for WhatsApp if phone storage is full?
Free up space used by WhatsApp databases by deleting old chats, media, and groups. Also move your WhatsApp media storage to an SD card if available on your phone.
Can I transfer WhatsApp to SD card?
WhatsApp databases cannot be moved to SD card directly. But you can set SD card as the storage location for media in WhatsApp settings. This prevents filling up internal phone storage.
In Conclusion
WhatsApp automatically creates database files to store your account information, chats, media attachments and other data. The msgstore.db.crypt12 and wa.db database files can gradually increase in size with prolonged usage of the app.
To prevent these databases from occupying too much space on your phone’s internal storage, make sure to periodically clean up old chats, media and groups within WhatsApp. Regularly backing up chats also allows you to restore and reset the databases. Set your SD card as the media storage location if possible. With proper database management, you can ensure WhatsApp doesn’t end up consuming too much invaluable storage space on your phone.