WhatsApp is working on a new per-chat storage management feature that will help users free up space easily by managing media directly from individual chats.
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| WhatsApp is testing a new feature to help users manage chat storage more efficiently across Android and iOS, addressing one of the app’s biggest space concerns. Image: CH |
Tech Desk — October 29, 2025:
WhatsApp, the world’s most widely used messaging platform with nearly a billion daily users, is preparing to solve one of its most common user frustrations — running out of storage space. Every day, billions of messages, images, videos, and audio clips are exchanged on the platform. Over time, these files accumulate and take up significant space on users’ devices, particularly affecting those with older Android phones or iPhones with limited storage capacity.
According to WABetaInfo, Meta-owned WhatsApp is currently testing a new feature that will allow users to manage storage directly from individual chats. This per-chat storage management tool is being tested in both the Android beta version and the iPhone TestFlight program. The new feature introduces a “Manage Storage” option on the contact or group information screen, allowing users to review and delete media files for specific chats without having to navigate through the main settings menu.
This development marks an improvement over WhatsApp’s existing storage management tools. Instead of viewing all storage data collectively, users will now be able to identify which conversations occupy the most space and take action more efficiently. This change will be particularly beneficial for users who frequently share large media files in family, social, or work groups, where images and videos tend to accumulate quickly.
Currently, Android users can manually manage WhatsApp storage by opening the app, tapping the three-dot menu in the top-right corner, selecting “Settings,” and navigating to “Storage and Data.” Within this section, the “Manage Storage” option shows how much space chats and media files are consuming. Users can then review their data, select files they wish to delete, or remove everything at once. Large media files over five megabytes can also be filtered and deleted to free up additional space. Additionally, users can open a specific chat, view the shared media within it, and manually delete unwanted files, mimicking the upcoming per-chat control system that WhatsApp is now testing.
For those who want to prevent WhatsApp from saving media automatically to the phone’s gallery, the option can be turned off within the app’s settings. By navigating to “Settings” and selecting “Chats,” users can disable the “Media Visibility” option. Group chat settings can also be customized individually by entering the group’s information page, scrolling to the “Media Visibility” setting, and choosing the “No” option to prevent media from being stored automatically.
This upcoming per-chat storage management feature reflects Meta’s ongoing effort to enhance WhatsApp’s performance and usability, particularly for users with devices that have limited capacity. By offering a simpler and more targeted way to control media storage, WhatsApp aims to make it easier for people to keep their favorite conversations while maintaining enough space for other essential apps and files.
As WhatsApp continues testing this feature in its beta programs, users can expect it to roll out in future updates for both Android and iPhone. Once released, it will likely become one of the most practical additions to WhatsApp in recent years, directly addressing one of the most persistent complaints among its massive global user base.