You can view how much space WhatsApp is taking up on your device and free up storage by deleting items.

View storage

1. On the CHATS tab, tap More options > Settings.
2. Tap Storage and data > Manage storage.

The amount of space taken up on your device by WhatsApp media and Apps and other items is displayed at the top of the screen.

Review and delete items

You can free up storage by deleting items that are large or have been forwarded many times. You can also delete items per chat.

Review items

1. On the CHATS tab, tap More options > Settings.
2. Tap Storage and data > Manage storage.
3. Tap Forwarded many times, Larger than 5 MB, or select a specific chat.
4. You can tap the sort icon to sort by Newest, Oldest, or Largest.
• The file size of the item is displayed in the top corner of the item.
5. Tap an item to review. You can also:
• View which chat the item is from and when it was sent: Tap More > Show in chat.
• Star or unstar the item: Tap Star or Unstar.

Delete items

If you choose to delete an item, it will be deleted from your WhatsApp media. Deleted items might still be saved on your device. If you have multiple copies of an item, you’ll also need to delete all copies in order to free up space.

1. On the CHATS tab, tap More options > Settings.
2. Tap Storage and data > Manage storage.
3. Tap Forwarded many times, Larger than 5 MB, or select a specific chat.
4. You can:
• Delete all items: Tap Select all if you want to delete all items at once.
• Delete individual items: Tap and hold an item you want to delete. Select additional items to delete multiple items at once.
5. Tap Delete.
• Select Delete starred items to delete starred items.
• Select Delete any copies to delete duplicates.
6. Tap DELETE.

Delete items through search

You can also delete individual items by using the search feature.

1. On the CHATS tab, tap Search.
2. Tap Photos, Videos, or Documents.
3. Tap the item you want to delete.
4. Tap More > Delete.
• Optionally, tap Delete media in this chat.
5. Tap DELETE.

Low storage alerts

If the amount of available storage on your device reaches critically low levels, WhatsApp might not be able to function properly. If this happens, WhatsApp might prompt you to free up space in order to continue using the app.

You can also free up space by deleting apps you don’t use or large videos, photos, or files saved on your phone. For more information about how to free up storage on your phone outside of WhatsApp, please contact your phone’s manufacturer.

Related resources:

• How to free up storage on WhatsApp on iPhone
• About forwarding limits