How to stop WhatsApp saving photos

If you’re a frequent user of WhatsApp, you’ll likely already be familiar with one of its most divisive features – it automatically saves photos to your phone.

Being able to send and receive as much media as you like is what makes WhatsApp such a popular app but, while this is great for senders, it’s often inconvenient for those on the receiving end. Group chatters, we’re looking at you.

Not only does the neverending barrage of videos, photos and GIFs take up precious storage space on your phone, it can often make it harder to find the photos and videos you’ve taken yourself.

WhatsApp automatically saving photos can sometimes be useful, but it’s not for everyone. If you want to know how to stop WhatsApp saving photos to your Android or iPhone, then follow these simple steps.

How to stop WhatsApp saving photos to Android:

1. Open up WhatsApp and, in the top-left corner, you should see the More Options button. This looks like three stacked dots.
2. Tap the three dots, then tap the Settings option.
3. From here, tap the Chats option.
4. You should then see an option to toggle on or off “media visibility”. Turn this off to stop WhatsApp automatically saving photos, videos and GIFs to your Android phone.

How to stop WhatsApp saving photos to iPhone:

1. Open WhatsApp on your iPhone. In the bottom-right corner of your screen, you should see a Settings icon. This looks like a gear or cog symbol.
2. Tap the Settings icon, then tap the Chats button.
3. Here, you can toggle on or off the “save to camera roll” setting. Turn off this option to stop WhatsApp automatically saving photos, videos and GIFs to your iPhone’s camera roll.

Written by

Danielle Amato

As Senior Home Editor, Danielle heads up Expert Review’s home content. Alongside commissioning and editing, she’s also passionate about testing and reviewing appliances including air fryers, kettles and everything in between. Before joining Expert Reviews back in 2019, Danielle had a five-year-long career as a freelancer, writing for national magazines and websites such as Woman’s Own and At Home Magazine. As well as a decade of writing experience, Danielle is also NCTJ accredited and has an MA in Multimedia Journalism.

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