There have been rumours on making rounds on Whatsapp about how changing media visibility in gallery can help you save your valuable phone storage. This is not true at all. This option on helps you to hide the downloaded photos or videos from your gallery (and may be help hide those nudes ) but are actually saved in a hidden folder on your device, hence using your space.
How to Change Whatsapp Media Visibility on Android Devices
- Open WhatsApp.
- Tap More options > Settings > Chats > Media visibility.
- Uncheck the box next to Show media in gallery.
The steps above are general for all chats, but you may wish change this setting for an individual chat:
- Open a chat.
- Tap More options > View contact > Media visibility.
- Choose Default (Yes), Yes or No.
For Iphone
- Open the WhatsApp app
- Tap the “Settings” icon in the bottom right hand corner
- Tap on the “Chats” menu
- Untoggle the “Save to Camera Roll” option.
However if you would like to save device storage, you may have to opt for disabling automatic download for mobile data and WiFi.
To configure automatic photo, video, or audio downloading, simply go to WhatsApp > tap More options > Settings > Data Usage.
Here you can choose when WhatsApp will automatically download media.
When using mobile data
Selected media will automatically download when you are connected to cellular data.
When connected on Wi-Fi
Selected media will automatically download when you are connected to Wi-Fi.
When roaming
Selected media will automatically download when you are roaming.
it is highly recommended that you turn off automatic media downloads off so that you are able to choose to download what you think is important to you.
Note: Enabling auto-download when roaming may result in significantly increased charges from your mobile provider as roaming data is often expensive.