The accumulation of photos, videos and documents in the Meta application can make the cell phone work slow. For that, there is a little-known functionality that can free up essential device space.
The WhatsApp messaging application can bring problems related to storage on mobile phones. The constant exchanges of Photos, videos, audios and documents fill the memory and makes it difficult to operate for the use of other applications.
This problem is evident in the case of devices with limited storage or that require regular cleaning of accumulated data. Although WhatsApp does not have a visible recycle bin, there are simple methods to delete unnecessary files definitively.
How to find the hidden WhatsApp trash
The app does not have a traditional recycle bin, but On Android devices there is a “hidden trash” in the system folder structure. To access and delete the files you must:
- Enter the phone’s file manager, which may be called “Files” or “File Manager” depending on the model.
- Go to AInternal storage or Main storage.
- Head to the route Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp > Media.
- Inside this folder there are subfolders like Images, Videos, Audios and Documents.
- Choose the files or folders you want to delete and press the option Eliminate.
This process empties the data which works like a WhatsApp trash. Deleted files will no longer take up space on your device and cannot be recovered, so be sure to only delete what is not needed.
Other ways to free up space on your phone
Along with multimedia files, WhatsApp generates backup copies which are stored in the databases folder. These consume considerable space and to eliminate them you must follow these steps:
- In the file manager, access Internal storage or Main storage again.
- Go to folder Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp > Databases.
- Press and hold each file in this folder. You will find names that include creation dates.
- Choose to delete older copies or those that are no longer needed
- An essential fact is that deleting these databases will not affect current conversations, but it will significantly reduce the space occupied by the application.
Telephone with WhatsApp
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What happens when you free up space on your phone
By deleting unnecessary files from WhatsApp, the device recovers space that can be used for other applications. This improves performance in aspects such as:
- Speed of answer of the applications.
- Ability to install smartphone operating system updates.
- Space available to take additional photos or videos.
- Reducing problems related to full storage, such as constant error messages or the inability to download new files.
- Extension of the useful life of the device and avoids the need for costly backups or transfers to new memory cards or cloud services.
How to prevent WhatsApp from consuming all of your phone’s space
Proper storage management can prevent WhatsApp from filling up your device’s memory again. Some suggestions are:
- Automatic download settings: From the WhatsApp settings, deactivate the automatic download option for photos, videos and audios to avoid accumulating unnecessary files.
- Periodic cleaning: Schedule a monthly cleanup of your media files and databases by following the steps described above.
- Cloud storage usage: Back up files to services such as Google Drive or iCloud, which will free up space without losing important data.
- Delete old chats: Eliminate unnecessary conversations that include heavy multimedia content. Do it directly from the application settings.
- Regular monitoring: Periodically check storage usage from the WhatsApp settings menu to identify which items are taking up the most space.
In this way, managing WhatsApp storage is essential to maintain the proper functioning of the phone and ensure that the user experience is optimal.
Source: Ambito
I’m a recent graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism. I started working as a news reporter for 24 Hours World about two years ago, and I’ve been writing articles ever since. My main focus is automotive news, but I’ve also written about politics, lifestyle, and entertainment.
