Countless photos and GIFs are sent via WhatsApp. The messenger automatically saves the received files in the photo gallery. We’ll show you how to prevent that.
A funny picture or GIF that a friend or relative sent you on WhatsApp can temporarily lift your mood. In the long term, however, such files can strain the storage space on the smartphone.
With just a few clicks, you can prevent media content from automatically downloading and taking up storage space. There is also an option to ban WhatsApp images from the photo gallery. We show how to do it.
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Prevent images from ending up in the photo gallery
If you don’t want your own photo gallery on your mobile phone to overflow with WhatsApp images, you can deactivate the automatic filing as follows.
Instructions for iPhones
Step 1: Open the settings in WhatsApp
At the bottom right of the tab menu, tap the gear icon (“Settings”)
Step 2: Go to the chats settings
Now select the menu item “Chats”.
(Source: Jan Mölleken / t-online)
Step 3: Deactivate saving in recordings
Now press the switch behind the menu item “Save in recordings”. The switch is deactivated when the round button is on the left and the area around the button is gray and not green.
Instructions for Android
This works in a similar way to the iPhone on Android – but the procedure differs in two small details:
Step 1: Open the settings in WhatsApp
Under Android, open the settings menu by tapping the three small dots in the top right corner. A context menu then opens where you can select “Settings”.
(Source: Jan Mölleken / t-online)
Step 2: Go to the chats settings
Now tap on the menu item “Chats”
Step 3: Prevent saving in “Photos”
The menu entry is a little less clear on Android. The switch must be deactivated under the menu item “Visibility of media”.
(Source: Jan Mölleken / t-online)
Turn off automatic photo download
If you want to save space on your device, you can also prevent photos and videos from being automatically downloaded to your smartphone. Instead, you only see a fuzzy preview – individual media can then be called up manually at the touch of a finger. Here’s how to do this on your phone.
Instructions for iPhones
Step 1: Open Settings and then “Storage and Data”
Open the settings as described above and tap on “Storage and data”
Step 2: Turn off automatic download
In the “Auto media download” block, tap the “Photos” menu item. Then tap on “Never” in the submenu.
(Source: Jan Mölleken / t-online)
Instructions for Android
Step 1: Select Settings and “Storage and Data”
Open the settings menu as described above and select the sub-item “Storage and data”
Step 2: Make automatic download settings
The logic of the submenu is different on Android. Under the heading “Automatic media download”, there are not media types listed here, but three types of data connection: “With mobile data connection”, “With WLAN connection” and “With roaming”. In order to prevent the automatic download of photos, you must now tap on each of the three entries and then remove the check mark in front of “Photos”.
(Source: Jan Mölleken / t-online)
If you do not want the automatic download of videos or documents, you have to remove the tick here as well.
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