Having issues with internal storage on your Android device can be frustrating, especially when apps like WhatsApp report no storage available or other apps show the SD card as disabled. However, there are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve these problems.
What Does WhatsApp’s “No Internal Storage Available” Error Mean?
This error typically means that your device’s internal storage is full or nearly full. WhatsApp requires a certain amount of free internal storage to function properly, so if you’re down to your last gigabyte or less, you may start seeing this message.
Some key points about the “No Internal Storage Available” error:
- It’s related to your device’s internal storage, not the SD card.
- It often appears after an update to WhatsApp when the new version requires more free space.
- Cleaning chat history and media can sometimes free up enough space to resolve it.
- If you’re down to a very small amount of internal storage overall, this error may persist.
Why Does WhatsApp Require Internal Storage?
WhatsApp stores your messages, media files and other data locally on your device’s internal storage. This allows you to use the app offline and gives you quick access to your chat history.
Some key reasons Why WhatsApp relies on internal storage include:
- Speed – Internal storage is much faster than SD cards.
- Reliability – External SD cards can be removed or corrupt easier than internal storage.
- Encryption – WhatsApp implements end-to-end encryption for security and privacy.
- Direct access – External storage requires user permission for apps to access files.
So while you can move some data like media files to external storage, WhatsApp still requires a reasonable minimum amount of free internal storage to operate smoothly.
How Much Internal Storage Does WhatsApp Need?
As a rule of thumb, WhatsApp needs at least 150-200MB of free internal storage to function without errors on Android. Here are some more details:
- The WhatsApp app itself takes up ~100MB initially.
- A fresh install with no messages uses ~120MB.
- Hundreds of messages can take up a few hundred MB.
- Media like photos and videos also take up storage space.
So in general, the more messages, media files and chat history you have in WhatsApp, the more free internal space it requires. Keeping under 1GB free can lead to issues on many devices.
How to Free Up Internal Storage for WhatsApp
If you’re seeing the “No Internal Storage Available” error, here are some tips to free up internal storage space on your Android device:
Clean Up WhatsApp Storage
- Open WhatsApp Settings > Data and Storage Usage
- Review large files and media – delete anything unneeded
- Delete old chats and messages you no longer need
Use Storage Manager
- Go to Android Settings > Storage to see what’s taking up space
- Delete unused apps, files, and temporary files
- Remove media stored on your device that you no longer need
Move Media to SD Card
- Use the WhatsApp settings to migrate media like photos & videos to an SD card
- This frees up internal storage space used by media files
- Messages and the app itself will still use internal storage
Uninstall Unused Apps
- Remove apps you no longer use to free up more internal space
- Focus on large apps and games you haven’t used in a while
Offload Unused Apps
- Use the App Info menu to Offload infrequently used apps – this removes the app itself but keeps its data
- Offloading large apps you rarely use can free up significant storage
When to Consider Clean Installing WhatsApp
If you still have WhatsApp storage issues after trying the steps above, a clean reinstall of the app may be needed:
- Backup your WhatsApp messages first via Google Drive or local backup
- Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp to start fresh
- Restore your messages after reinstalling
- This removes any corrupted data or cache files causing problems
A clean install takes more work but gives WhatsApp a fresh set of storage to work with.
Why Do Some Apps Show SD Card as Disabled?
Seeing the external SD card disabled or unavailable for certain apps is usually related to how Android handles permissions for external storage access.
Here are some key points on why this happens:
- Android limits direct access to external storage for security and privacy.
- Users must explicitly grant access to SD card storage on a per-app basis.
- If you haven’t granted access, the SD card will appear disabled or unavailable in the app.
- Re-enabling external storage access in app settings should resolve this.
How to Grant App Access to SD Card
If an app shows the SD card as disabled even though it’s installed, use these steps to grant access:
- Go to Android Settings > Apps & notifications.
- Select the app in question.
- Tap Permissions.
- Enable the Storage permission.
This grants the app access to read and write files on the SD card. The app’s storage settings should then display the external SD card as available.
Troubleshooting Inaccessible External Storage
If the steps above don’t resolve disabled external storage issues, here are some other things to check:
- Make sure your SD card is properly inserted and mounted.
- Check that the card itself is not corrupted – try reformatting.
- Verify other apps can access the SD card files.
- Try a different SD card if possible to rule out card issues.
- Check that you have not disabled external storage access system-wide.
As a last resort, consider factory resetting your device if SD card access is not working at all after troubleshooting.
When to Try Formatting the SD Card
If your SD card shows up as corrupted or read-only, formatting it may help resolve access issues:
- Back up your SD card files first before formatting.
- Go to Settings > Storage and tap your SD card.
- Tap Format or Mount > Format.
- Confirm to erase all data – this will fix corruption issues.
Reformatting the SD card erases its data but can fix problems with external storage access on Android.
Checking for a Faulty SD Card
If you continue having SD card issues after trying the steps above, the card itself may be faulty, damaged or just very old. Some signs include:
- Frequent read/write errors or slow performance
- Corruption that keeps coming back after formatting
- Card not being detected at all on your device
- Obvious physical damage to the card
Trying a different SD card is the best way to rule out a faulty one causing access problems.
When to Replace an Old or Damaged SD Card
If your SD card shows signs of age or damage, replacing it can resolve persistent storage issues:
- Cards over 5 years old may be near end of lifespan
- Look for a Class 10 card rated U3/V30 for best performance
- Get at least 32GB capacity, up to 512GB for media storage
- SanDisk, Samsung Evo, and Kingston make reliable models
Replacing an old or damaged SD card is often inexpensive and can resolve storage issues on Android. Make sure to transfer files from the old card beforehand.
Conclusion
To summarize, if WhatsApp is reporting no internal storage on your Android device, start by clearing old chats, media, and unused apps to free up internal space. Check that you’ve granted the proper permissions if other apps show the SD card as disabled. Reformatting or replacing faulty SD cards, and clean reinstalling WhatsApp itself can also help resolve stubborn storage issues.
With the right combination of cleaning, troubleshooting and app data management, you can get WhatsApp and other apps working properly even with limited internal storage. Checking for SD card corruption and replacing damaged cards is key for external storage problems. Proper permissions and formatting utilities will also help get your SD card back up and running if apps can’t access it.