WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. As more and more people use WhatsApp to send messages, photos, videos and documents, managing your WhatsApp storage can become an issue.
What is WhatsApp storage?
WhatsApp storage refers to the space your WhatsApp media and messages take up on your phone’s internal storage. This includes:
- Photos and videos you receive and send
- Audio messages
- WhatsApp documents
- WhatsApp database and settings
Over time, these files can accumulate and take up a significant amount of storage space on your device. Insufficient storage space can slow down your phone and prevent you from receiving new messages and media.
Where is WhatsApp storage located on Android?
On Android phones, WhatsApp stores your files in two main locations:
- Internal phone storage: By default, WhatsApp media goes to a WhatsApp folder in your phone’s internal storage. You can find it by going to: Settings > Storage > Internal Storage. Look for the WhatsApp folder.
- External SD card: If you have an SD card inserted and setup, WhatsApp gives you the option to save media to external storage. Go to WhatsApp > Settings > Data and Storage Usage > Storage Usage to see WhatsApp media stored on the SD card.
Check WhatsApp storage usage
To see how much total storage WhatsApp is using:
- Open WhatsApp
- Go to Settings
- Tap Storage and Data > Storage Usage
This will show you a breakdown of storage used for:
- Photos
- Videos
- Audio
- Documents
- Chat backups
- WhatsApp media not yet backed up
- Databases and profile photos
You can tap on each category to see more details and take actions like deleting items or changing the backup frequency.
Where is WhatsApp storage located on iPhone?
On iPhones, WhatsApp media and data is stored in the WhatsApp folder within the phone’s local storage. To locate it:
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage
- Select WhatsApp from the list of apps
- Review the storage usage breakdown
This will show you how much total storage WhatsApp is using. Tap on categories like Photos & Videos for more details.
Check WhatsApp storage usage
To view storage used by WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp
- Go to Settings
- Tap Storage and Data > Storage Usage
You’ll see a screen that displays:
- Photos
- Videos
- Audio
- Documents
- Chat backups
- Media not yet backed up
- Logs
Tap each item to view more details and take actions like deleting items or changing the backup frequency.
How to free up WhatsApp storage
If WhatsApp is taking up too much storage, here are some tips to free up space:
Delete old chats
Chats can take up a large amount of space, especially if they contain a lot of media. Deleting old or large chats you no longer need can recover a lot of storage.
Clear media cache
WhatsApp stores a cached version of media on your device. Clearing this cache deletes temporary media files and frees up space.
Delete media
Manually review all your stored WhatsApp media and delete things you no longer need. This includes photos, videos and audio messages.
Back up chats
Back up your chat history to free up space taken up by unbacked up chats. Just be aware that this then uses space in your Google Drive or iCloud storage.
Reduce backup frequency
Set your auto backup to occur less frequently, such as once a month instead of daily.
Move media to external storage
On Android, set your WhatsApp media storage location to an external SD card to reduce the storage burden on your phone.
Clear documents
Delete old WhatsApp document files you no longer require. This frees up valuable storage space.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp storage issues
If you are having trouble with insufficient storage due to WhatsApp, here are some troubleshooting steps:
Identify the specific issue
Figure out if the issue is insufficient internal phone storage vs external SD card storage. Check your total free phone storage in Settings.
Review your media
Open WhatsApp, go to Settings > Storage and Data > Storage Usage and review your media. Delete things you no longer need.
Change WhatsApp media storage location
On Android, you can set WhatsApp to store media on your SD card instead of internal storage in Settings > Storage and Data.
Delete old chats
Chats can take up a lot of storage over time. Frequently remove old chats you no longer need.
Clear cache
Clear stored WhatsApp media cache to delete temporary files. This can recover a lot of space.
Enable cloud backup
Back up chats to the cloud to reduce the size of chat backups on your phone storage.
Update WhatsApp
Updating WhatsApp to the latest version may help resolve some storage bugs and issues.
Conclusion
Managing your WhatsApp storage requires paying attention to where files are saved, how much space is being used, and taking action to delete, move or backup items. Monitoring your usage in Settings, moving media to SD card storage, and clearing your cache can help recover space. Backing up chats to the cloud also prevents local storage from being overwhelmed. With proper maintenance, you can keep WhatsApp storage under control.