Metas WhatsApp has become an important means of online communication.

Its phone number-based contacts system has been a good substitute for mobile carrier texting since it became mainstream.

But how much space are you willing to sacrifice just for WhatsApp?

new WhatsApp privacy feature

Why is it taking so much space, and what exactly can you do to fix it?

Here’s how you’re able to get WhatsApp to take up less storage on your smartphone.

This media can really clog your phone up, especially if youre on a large and active group chat.

WhatsApp Manage Storage page on an iPhone

So, the first preventative thing you should do is turn off auto-downloads.

Now, you get to choose precisely what you wish to download.

But its easier if you manage WhatsApps media in-app.

Storage and Data page on WhatsApp with default settings

You should back up your chats before doing this to avoid deleting something important.

We have aguide for backing up WhatsApp chats to Google Drive for Android users.

WhatsApp has a media manager that displays how much space WhatsApp is taking versus other apps on your phone.

Adjusting photo media auto-download to Never

It also arranges chats and media according to how much space theyre taking.

Youll find the option to enable disappearing messages in theManage Storagesection of WhatsApps options.

Before you begin to use it, you should read all you could aboutWhatsApps disappearing messages.

WhatsApp media auto-download settings all turned off except Audio

It has its pros, but it also has its setbacks and limitations.

Storage and data page on WhatsApp for Android

Media auto-download options on WhatsApp for Android

Manage Storage page on WhatsApp for iOS

Media larger than 5MB on WhatsApp

Mark Zuckerburg chat media on WhatsApp

Disappearing Messages page on WhatsApp for iOS

Default Message Timer page on WhatsApp for iOS