There are a few common reasons why WhatsApp can get stuck on “restoring media waiting for Wi-Fi” when trying to download messages or media:
Large Amount of Media to Download
The most common reason is that you likely have a large amount of media (photos, videos, documents, etc.) that WhatsApp is trying to download from the server. By default, WhatsApp will only download media over Wi-Fi to avoid using up your mobile data allowance.
So if you recently switched phones or reinstalled WhatsApp, it may be trying to download hundreds or thousands of photos, videos and other files shared in your message history. This can take a long time to complete depending on the amount of media, and WhatsApp gets “stuck” waiting for a Wi-Fi connection to finish the downloads.
Poor Internet Connection
If you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network but the internet connection is slow or unstable, this can also prevent WhatsApp from completing the media download. Poor signal strength, bandwidth throttling by your ISP, or network congestion can all impact download speeds.
WhatsApp requires a steady connection to reliably transfer media files. If the connection keeps dropping, WhatsApp will just get stuck in an endless loop of trying and failing to download the remaining media.
File Transfer Timeouts
In some cases, WhatsApp may be timing out when trying to download large media files. The app servers will only allow a file transfer to continue for a certain period of time before stopping the download. This may happen more frequently on slower connections.
Restarting the download process from scratch can allow WhatsApp to regain the full timeout window to try completing the file transfer. But any network interruption can restart the timeout and lead to the “waiting for Wi-Fi” state.
Corrupted Media Cache
WhatsApp stores a cache of media files on your device so they can be accessed again quickly. If this cache becomes corrupted, it can prevent WhatsApp from completing new media downloads properly.
Clearing the cache forces WhatsApp to re-download all media from the server rather than relying on the local cache. This resolves any corruption issues and may allow stuck media downloads to resume normally.
Incorrect Media Download Settings
Check that your media download settings are configured correctly in WhatsApp. Open WhatsApp Settings > Data and Storage Usage, and make sure you have “When Using Mobile Data” set to “Allow All Media”. This will let WhatsApp download media over mobile data if Wi-Fi is unavailable.
You can also check your individual Wi-Fi network settings. Some public networks may block WhatsApp’s media transfer ports, preventing file downloads. Try switching to a different Wi-Fi network as a test.
Outdated WhatsApp Version
Using an outdated version of WhatsApp can also lead to getting stuck on media downloads. Make sure you’re running the latest version of WhatsApp by checking for updates in your device’s app store.
The developers may have fixed bugs related to media transfers in newer versions. Updating to the latest release may resolve any software issues that are preventing downloads from completing.
Incorrect Date/Time Settings
WhatsApp relies on your device’s date and time settings being correct in order to communicate properly with the server. If your date or time is inaccurate, it can interfere with WhatsApp’s ability to finish media downloads.
Go into your device settings and make sure the date and time are set correctly. Toggle “Automatic” date/time on if possible to prevent issues in the future.
Using Antivirus or Firewall Software
Some antivirus suites and firewall software can block WhatsApp’s connection to its servers. Temporarily disabling your antivirus or making an exception for WhatsApp may help get media downloads moving again.
Try disabling your firewall temporarily to see if that allows the media transfer to complete. You’ll need to add WhatsApp as an authorized app in the firewall settings to resolve the issue permanently.
Server-Side Issues
In rare cases, there may be a problem on WhatsApp’s server side that is preventing media downloads globally or in certain regions. This usually resolves itself fairly quickly as the company addresses the problem.
Check sites like Downdetector to see if others are reporting WhatsApp media download issues in your area. If it appears to be a widespread problem, the best option is to just wait for WhatsApp to fix it on their end.
Switching Between Wi-Fi and Mobile Data
If your phone keeps switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data connections as you move around, this can also interrupt and halt WhatsApp’s media downloads.
Try disabling mobile data temporarily and keeping your phone on a stable Wi-Fi network until the media transfer is complete. This prevents network changes from restarting the download.
DNS Issues
In some cases, a DNS (Domain Name System) issue can prevent WhatsApp from connecting to its servers to download media files. DNS helps translate domain names to IP addresses.
Try manually setting your phone’s DNS settings to use reliable public servers like Google DNS or Cloudflare DNS. This bypasses any DNS issues from your internet provider that may be interfering with WhatsApp’s downloads.
Using a VPN or Proxy
If you’re connected to a VPN or proxy service, this can sometimes break WhatsApp’s media transfer connections, leaving it stuck waiting for Wi-Fi.
Try disabling your VPN or proxy to see if that allows WhatsApp to resume downloading. You may need to add WhatsApp as an allowed app in your VPN/proxy configuration to prevent issues.
Disabled Background Data Usage
WhatsApp relies on background mobile data usage to keep downloads running even when you aren’t actively using the app. If this is disabled, it could explain why downloads get stuck.
Check your device settings and make sure WhatsApp has permission to use background data. Enabling this allows downloads to keep running in the background until completion.
Troubleshooting Steps
If you’re still stuck with WhatsApp endlessly waiting to download media over Wi-Fi, try these troubleshooting steps:
- Force close and restart the WhatsApp app
- Clear the app cache and data from your device settings
- Uninstall and reinstall the latest version of WhatsApp
- Try downloading media with Wi-Fi disabled
- Toggle your phone’s airplane mode on and off to reset connections
- Restart your phone completely
Waiting for WhatsApp to Restore Media
The main takeaway is that WhatsApp gets stuck on media restores when trying to download large amounts of files without a stable internet connection.
To resolve it, try the following general tips:
- Connect to a strong Wi-Fi network
- Disable VPNs, proxies and firewalls temporarily
- Clear app cache and data
- Update WhatsApp to the latest version
- Change DNS settings to use public DNS servers
- Toggle airplane mode on/off to reset connections
With a little patience and testing, you should be able to get WhatsApp to successfully complete the media download so you can access all of your messages and files again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does WhatsApp get stuck on “Waiting to download…”?
WhatsApp gets stuck on “Waiting to download…” for the same reasons it gets stuck on “Restoring media – Waiting for Wi-Fi”. It is trying to download a large amount of media but cannot complete the transfer due to poor internet connection, timeouts, corrupted cache files, incorrect settings, etc.
How can I tell if WhatsApp is restoring media or waiting for Wi-Fi?
You’ll see the status “Restoring media – Waiting for Wi-Fi” or “Waiting to download…” at the top of the Chats tab in WhatsApp if it is stuck trying to download media files over Wi-Fi. This typically occurs after installing WhatsApp on a new device or re-registering your number.
Why does WhatsApp only download media on Wi-Fi?
By default, WhatsApp will only download media like photos, videos, documents, etc over Wi-Fi. This is to prevent large media files from using up your mobile data allowance. You can change the setting to allow media downloads on mobile data as well.
How can I tell if my media is still downloading in WhatsApp?
In the WhatsApp main Chats tab, check if you see the text “Restoring media – Waiting for Wi-Fi” or “Waiting to download…” at the top of the screen. This indicates media downloads are still in progress. You’ll also see download progress indicators on media attachments.
Why is my WhatsApp still stuck after I connected to Wi-Fi?
If WhatsApp remains stuck even after connecting to Wi-Fi, the issue is likely due to a poor or unstable internet connection, timeouts, app bugs, corrupted cache, or other software and network factors. Try restarting your device, reinstalling WhatsApp, and clearing cache/data.
Conclusion
WhatsApp getting endlessly stuck on media restores can certainly be frustrating. But in most cases it comes down to the app trying to download a large amount of media without a solid Wi-Fi connection.
Be patient, try cycling your phone’s airplane mode, disable any VPNs or proxies, switch to mobile data briefly, or connect to a different Wi-Fi network. The media transfer should eventually complete once WhatsApp is able to reconnect to its servers and download all the waiting files.
With wifi availability becoming more widespread, this issue of WhatsApp getting stuck on media restores has become less and less common. But if you do encounter it, now you know some steps to try and get your message history and files downloading again.